Shaheen Afridi's Lahore Qalandars hammered Islamabad United by 110 runs to hand them the joint-second biggest defeat in the history of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023.
Riding on Abdullah Shafique's cracking knock Lahore Qalandar posted a colossal target of 201 runs and then skittled out the entire Islamabad United side for paltry 90 runs in the 16th match of the PSL at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday (February 27). Shafique's 45 off 24 and David Wiese's 3/17 scripted Qalandars' emphatic victory. Last year Multan Sultans registered the biggest victory of PSL as they routed Quetta Gladiators by 117 runs. Sultans defeated the same team by 110 runs in 2021 and now Qalandars scripted the joint second biggest win in PSL.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Colin Munro combined to stitch a 41-run opening stand for Islamabad but then the team fell like a stack of cards before bundling out in just 13.5 overs. Zaman Khan gave Lahore a much-needed breakthrough after openers Colin Munro and Gurbaz (23) helped Islamabad make a good start.
Zaman delivered a slow short bowl that was mistimed by Gurbaz and Fakhar Zaman took a blinder to send the Afghan batter back to the pavilion.
Soon after Gurbaz’s departure, Shaheen introduced David Wiese, who got the better of Colin Munro, reducing Islamabad to 54/2. The left-handed batter scored 18 runs off 14 balls. In the next over, fiery pacer Haris Rauf struck as he sent Rassie van der Dussen (3) packing. Wiese delivered again as he sent Islamabad’s skipper Shadab Khan (4) back to the pavilion after a successful review.
Islamabad kept losing wickets. In a bid to up the run-rate, Asif Ali went for a six but ended up getting caught by Haris off Rashid Khan.
Wiese added to Islamabad’s miseries by trapping Azam Khan for an lbw. The wicket-keeper batter, who scored 96 runs against Quetta Gladiators in their previous match, was sent packing after he scored only four runs. The wizard Rashid claimed his second of the evening by bowling out Tom Curran (10). Hasan Ali, Abrar Ahmed and Zeeshan Zameer were sent back inside the 14th over.
Wiese snared the most three wickets for Qalandars while Rashid and Raza picked two wickets each to break Lahore's back. Zaman and Haris also contributed with a wicket each for the winning cause.
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