In a thrilling match on Wednesday night at Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, Lahore Qalandars defeated Islamabad United, the team, to secure their first victory of PSL 9. Lahore Qalandars‘ fans would be finally happy after a disappointing performance by Shaheen Afridi led side in the HBL PSL 2024.
Following a half-century from Rassie van der Dussen to help them reach 162, the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led side, Lahore Qalandars produced a devastating bowling display that bowled out Islamabad United for 145 runs.
Pitch report and toss update
The surface of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium is ideal for batting since the ball falls onto the bat with ease. In the past, stroke players have performed admirably here. On this surface, spinners have had greater success because of the turn and bounce that is present, but fast bowlers must mix their line well to succeed. The Islamabad United won the toss and elected to field first.
Lahore Qalandars started sluggish as they kept losing wickets at intervals
Naseem Shah followed up his first opening over from the previous game with another today, as Sahibzada Farhan failed to score in the first over. As Faheem Ashraf caught Farhan at deep backward point in the fourth over, Hunain Shah benefited from the pressure Naseem had put on the Lahore opening duo in the previous over.
After conceding ten runs in a ball and one boundary in the subsequent over, Colin Munro produced a breathtaking catch at the rope while fielding at deep backward square, dismissing Fakhar Zaman as well. Batting at number four, Shai Hope could only muster six off of nine when Jordan Cox caught him, giving Imad Wasim a wicket in the seventh over.
In an attempt to prevent the impending collapse, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi came in to bat next, with the team suffering at 30-3 in 6.4 overs. Shaheen and Rassie van der Dussen partnered in the middle over 25 balls to build a fourth-wicket partnership that was crucial and resulted in 46 runs.
Rassie van der Dussen’s crucial knock helped Lahore Qalandars to put a competitive total
Against Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen announced his arrival at the crease with two sixes in the ninth over. Shaheen struck a maximum in each of the next three overs before Shadab Khan dismissed his opponent in the eleventh over. The captain of Lahore Qalandars was forced to return for an explosive thirty off fourteen balls, including four maximums. Before Sikandar Raza was dismissed by Azam Khan after an outstanding catch, he had only made four out of ten.
Van der Dussen (64) reached his half-century with a six in the next over. David Wiese was brought to the crease by Munro, who caught Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti off Naseem. Before the latter fell victim to Rumman in the penultimate over, Lahore Qalandars managed to reach a respectable total courtesy of the productive seventh-wicket stand between Weise and van der Dussen, which produced 31 off 15. While Hunain, Naseem, Imad, Faheem, and Shadab each claimed one wicket, Rumman claimed two wickets.
Lahore Qalandars’ bowlers put the Islamabad United on the backfoot by giving them early blows
In exchange, Lahore Qalandars took five wickets during the powerplay, putting pressure on the team chasing 163 runs. Jahandad gave Shaheen a first-over wicket when he brilliantly caught Alex Hales for a two-ball duck while sprinting back to long-on.
Salman was caught behind by Zaman’s bowling in the subsequent over. With a deadly yorker that got past Shadab’s barriers, Zaman destroyed his stumps in the fifth over. Munro was run out in the final over of the powerplay when Jahandad hit the precise throw to the keeper, who took off the bails while the batsman was still short of the crease.
The next batter in, Imad Wasim, smashed a four off the first ball, but Abdullah Shafique, the replacement fielder, caught him at slips on the very next ball. With the scoreboard displaying 39-6 in 7 overs, Jahandad—introduced to the attack following the powerplay—confirmed his earlier exploits in the field with a caught and bowled to remove Jordan Cox, sending United further into difficulties.
Faheem and Naseem tried, but they fell short of the target
Azam Khan and Faheem Ashraf shared a 35-run partnership for the seventh wicket until Ahsan removed the latter. The highest partnership for Islamabad in the innings was reached when Naseem and Faheem batted together to contribute 42 to the total. Naseem struck Shaheen for two straight sixes in the sixteenth over. Soon after, Shaheen exacted his retribution by castling his stumps to claim his 100th wicket in the PSL, making history as the youngest and fastest player to reach the milestone.
In the last over, Zaman removed Hunain and Rumman to remove the last two wickets and bundled out Islamabad United for 145, leaving Faheem stranded at an unbeaten 41 off 31 with four boundaries and a six. Lahore Qalandars triumphed by 17 runs due to four wickets from Zaman, two from Shaheen, and one apiece from Ahsan, Jahandad, and Wiese.
