Quetta Gladiators’ dream start to the tournament under Rilee Rossouw continued after they won their third game on the bounce, emerging victorious against Islamabad United in a low-scoring game.
Islamabad United scored 138 in their 20 overs, and in response, Quetta Gladiators chased it down with 10 balls to spare. As it stands, Rilee Rossouw‘s Quetta Gladiators sit at second in the points table with three wins in three games, while they are closely followed by Islamabad United, who are currently at third place.
On that note, let us look at the key points that led to Rilee Rossouw-led Quetta Gladiator’s victory over Islamabad United:
Bowling first, Quetta Gladiators conceded 60 in the powerplay. What followed was a spectacular comeback in the middle overs. It was probably that phase that won Quetta Gladiators the game.
From 60-1 in the powerplay to 90-5 in 12 overs, the batting side crumbled in the middle overs, courtesy of a spirited bowling effort from Rilee Rossouw’s men. Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain and Akeal Hosein struck in consecutive overs to pull things back after Islamabad United got off to a quick start.
Abrar Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers, picking up 3 wickets while going at under 5 runs per over. He struck at crucial times, giving his skipper a breakthrough just when a partnership looked like it was starting to flourish. He dismissed Colin Munro, Agha Salman and Imad Wasim in what was a good-looking spell of bowling.
Akeal Hosein used the arm ball to great effect, while getting the odd one to turn. He angled it in to the right-handers, making it tough for them to put it away for a boundary. He got two massive wickets, that of Alex Hales and Azam Khan . The former had started to show promise after he cleared the ropes twice in two balls off Akeal Hosein’s bowling, while the latter, despite failing on the day, is very capable of delivering those mighty blows.
Mohammad Wasim, who’s usually excellent in the death overs, lived up to his reputation. He targeted the stumps and was too good for the tail. He notched three wickets, while going for just 10 runs in the 18th and 20th overs of the first innings.
It was a combined effort from the bowlers. They choked the batters after the powerplay, conceding a modest 41 runs between the 10th and 18th overs. It was then a blistering cameo from Jason Roy that put the Quetta Gladiators ahead in the game. On a pitch where the ball was holding up, the 33-year old English opener got his team off to a flier, scoring 37 off just 18 deliveries.
Anything in the slot was disdainfully dispatched. A slow start may have made this chase tricky, but some quick runs up front from the bat of Jason Roy made life easier for batters to follow. Credit must also be given to Sherfane Rutherford, who scored a handy 29 batting at number 5. Whenever the required rate seemed to be climbing up, he broke the shackles with a boundary.
He was well supported by his skipper, Rilee Rossouw. Although he struck at under 90, it was a brilliant knock under pressure. He held one end, and despite being known for his power-hitting abilities, he played to the situation and led from the front. In the end, it was the experienced Mohammad Amir who chipped in with a little cameo. He hit a couple of boundaries in his short stay, and these were the game-killing blows that won the game for Quetta Gladiators.
Thus, it was a team effort that led to Quetta Gladiator’s victory. The likes of Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Hasnain, Akeal Hosein, Jason Roy, Sherfane Rutherford, Rilee Rossouw chipped in with useful contributions.
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