Lahore Qalandars ride on Fakhar Zaman's roaring century to bulldoze Islamabad United by a record margin of 119 runs in the 26th fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2023 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday (March 9).
Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars became the only team to clinch two matches in a single PSL season by more than a 100-run margin — one against United on Thursday and the other against the same team on February 27 (110 runs). Previously Multan Sultans held the record of the highest margin victory which they secured against Quetta Gladiators (117 runs) last year.
Riding on Zaman's blistering 115 off 57, which was decorated with eight sixes and as many fours, Qalandars posted a colossal total of 226/5. In reply, Shadab Khan's United were bundled out for a paltry 107, thanks to Rashid Khan's brilliant 4/21.
United suffered a blow in the first innings as their hard-hitting batter Azam Khan got a finger injury. He couldn't come out to bat. Alex Hales and Hassan Ali scored 18 runs each.
Fakhar was on 1 when he was spilled by Asif Ali off the bowling of Hassan Ali, and the moment came back to haunt the Qalandars during a riotous display with the bat.
The opener reached his hundred in just 50 balls and went on to make 115 from 57, including eight sixes, to send his team to an intimidating 226 for 5. He was dropped again, this time by Hassan at long-off off Shadab Khan, when on 71. He was supported by Kamran Ghulam (41 in 30 balls) and Sam Billings (32 in 22), as the Islamabad attack took heavy treatment.
Mohammad Wasim's four overs went for 48, Shadab bowled two for 32, and only Hassan (1-33) went for fewer than 10 runs per over across the innings.
In the end, though, Fakhar's century wasn't even necessary as Islamabad could only manage 107 as a team. Zaman Khan and Haris Rauf took two wickets each to further provide assistance to the Qalandars in defending a mammoth target of 227. Lahore enjoy a significant net run rate boost as a result of the nature of their win, and are top of the PSL - two points clear of Islamabad.
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