Pakistan Super League Match 21 was played between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Islamabad United won the toss and elected to field first in the match.
Quetta Gladiators Innings
As soon as the Quetta Gladiators started batting, they lost four very early wickets. They were just 17 for loss of 4 wickets. At this point, it seem Quetta Gladiators will not able to score even a hundred. The batters who got out were Yasir Khan, Will Smeed, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Iftikhar Ahmed. All of these got out on single digit scores. However, later on the two batters are crease, Muhammad Nawaz and Najibullah Zardan, played very well. Both of them scored their fifties and saved the Quetta Gladiators batting lineup from ultimate humiliation.
Najibullah Zardan scored 59 runs on 34 balls with the help of 5 fours and 3 sixes, while Muhammad Nawaz scored 52 on 44 balls with the help of 6 fours. Umar Akmal also contributed 43 runs on 14 balls while being not out. Overall, Quetta Gladiators scored total 179 runs in their innings while setting the target of 180 for Islamabad United to win the match.
For Islamabad United Fazalhaq Farooqi took three wickets in his four overs while Faheem Ashraf took two wickets in three overs. Rumman Raees also bowled four overs and took one wicket.
Islamabad United Innings
For Islamabad United while batting Colin Munro scored epic 63 runs on just 29 balls with the help of 5 fours and 4 Sixes. Faheem Ashraf scored 39 on 31 balls with the help of 6 boundaries and he remained not out. Azam Khan also scored 35 on 25 balls. Overall, Islamabad United was able to chase the target of 180 with three balls of the innings still remaining.
While bowling for Quetta Gladiators, Umaid Asif took three wickets and Muhammad Nawaz took two. While Naseem Shah, Naveen-ul-Haq and Iftikhar Ahmed took one wicket each. Odean Smith was not able to take any wickets in his 2.3 overs which he bowled, while he gave away 40 runs to the opposition.
Islamabad United won the match by two wickets with three balls remaining. Fazalhaq Farooqi was awarded with the man of the match title and the trophy, as he gave away just 25 runs and took three wickets in his four overs.
Match Highlights
Highlights of Match 21 of PSL 8 between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators are as follows.
Islamabad United in Playoffs
Islamabad United also sealed its spot in the playoff stage by winning this match in addition to the previous victories. Currently there are six teams, playing each other, on the end of current stage, only four teams will go forward to playoffs stage while players of two teams on bottom of points table will pack their bags to head home.
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