Dubai: Left-arm paceman Sohail Tanvir grabbed four wickets and former Australian Shane Watson struck a masterful half century to lead Quetta’s seven-wicket rout of title holders Islamabad United on day four of the HBL PSL in Dubai on Sunday.
Tanvir’s 4-21 to helped Quetta restrict the reigning champions to 157-8 before Watson’s undefeated 55-ball 81 steered them to overhaul the target with ten balls to spare.
Former South African Wayne Parnell was a surprising top-scorer for Islamabad United with a 20-ball 41, inclusive of seven boundaries and a six while Asif Ali scored 36 and Hussain Talat made 30 in a total of 157-8.
The win — second in as many games — lifts Quetta to the top of the table with four points while defending champions are pushed back to fourth with just points after one win and two losses.
Quetta too were jolted early on, losing another Pakistan hopeful Ahmed Shehzad for two and Rilee Rossouw for ten but Watson ensured bowlers’ good work is not spoiled, first building the innings in company of Umar Akmal as the duo added 62 for the third wicket.
Umar, who made a winning 75 in Quetta’s first win over Peshawar Zalmi, struck two sixes and five boundaries in his 28-ball 44 with five boundaries and two sixes.. When Umar was dismissed, caught and bowled by Cameroon Delport 64 were needed for victory.
Watson added a further 67 for the fourth wicket with Sarfraz Ahmed who made 15 not out, smashing the winning boundary off pacer Rumman Raees.
Watson said a fiery Umar made his task easier.
“Umar batting like this made my job easier,” said Watson. “Umar took the pressure off me as it was a different wicket from last year’s and a bit of a challenge but nice to register a win.”
Islamabad captain Mohammad Sami rued a no-ball dismissal of Watson when on 28.
“Yes, if I did not hit the bails (its a no-ball if a bowler hit the bails with any part of the body while in his delivery stride) because Watson is in good form,” said Sami. “We recovered well after a poor start but wicket became easier after rain.”
Quetta captain Sarfraz Ahmed was a happy man, praising his players.
“We wanted to restrict them and that we did despite conceding many runs in the last four overs,” said Sarfraz. “That is the area of concern so we have to look at that but a nice win with Tanvir bowling so well and then Umar and Watson batting well.”
Islamabad, put into bat by Quetta, lost their top order in a jiffy, as Twenty20 expert Tanvir got rid off the danger man Luke Ronchi off the very first ball of the match. Ronchi drove straight into the hands of Shehzad at covers, before trudging back to the pavilion.
It became 0-2 with the promoted Shadab Khan’s wicket off the last delivery of the first over as Tanvir’s slower one was driven straight back into the bowler’s hands. Tanvir had a double wicket maiden to give Quetta an ideal start.
Tanvir now has 120 wickets in the power-plays of Twenty20 cricket, making him the highest wicket-taker in the shortest format’s first phase of six overs.
Promising opener Rizwan Hussain fell for third failure in HBL PSL as he was adjudged leg-before off spinner Mohammad Nawaz for five, as Islamabad reeled at 3-8. It was left to Talat and Cameroon Delport (19 off 20 balls with a boundary) to steady the ship with a 50-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Pakistan-born Australian leggie Fawad Ahmed (3-15 off four overs) broke the stand by dismissing both Delport and Talat. Asif then tried to wield his bat aggressively, hitting two sixes and as many boundaries to lift Islamabad past 100-mark. He became Tanvir’s fourth wicket in the 17th over.
It was Parnell who gave the needed impetus to Islamabad’s innings in the final overs, adding 27 with Samit Patel (15 not out with two hits to the ropes) as Islamabad added 52 in the final five overs.
Lahore Qalandars, who beat Karachi in their second game on Saturday, face Peshawar Zalmi — who lost to Quetta Gladiators on Friday — in the second match later Sunday.
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Rumman to Watson, FOUR
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 1 run
End of over 18: Quetta Gladiators: 156/3 (IU: 158)
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Sarfaraz, 2 runs
Delport to Sarfaraz, no runs
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Watson, SIX
Delport to Watson, no run,
End of over 17: Quetta Gladiators: 146/3 (IU: 158)
Rumman to Watson, 1 run
Rumman to Watson, SIX
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Rumman to Watson, 1 run
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 2 runs
End of over 16: Quetta Gladiators: 134/3 (IU: 158)
Delport to Watson SIX
Delport to Watson, 4 byes
Delport to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
End of over 15: Quetta Gladiators: 120/3 (IU: 158)
Rumman to Sarfaraz, no run
Rumman to Watson, 1 run
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Rumman to Watson, 1 run
Rumman to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Rumman to Watson, 1 run
End of over 14: Quetta Gladiators: 115/3 (IU: 158)
Delport to Sarfaraz, no run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
End of over 13: Quetta Gladiators: 110/3 (IU: 158)
Shadab to Watson, 1 run
Shadab to Watson, 2 runs
Shadab to Sarfaraz, SIX
Shadab to Sarfaraz, 1 run
Shadab to Watson, 1 runs
Shadab to Watson, FOUR
End of over 12: Quetta Gladiators: 95/3 (IU: 158)
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Umar Akmal OUT
Delport to Umar Akmal, 1 wide
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Delport to Watson, 1 run
Delport to Umar Akmal, 1 run
End of over 11: Quetta Gladiators: 89/2 (IU: 158)
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, no runs
Shadab to Watson, 1 run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, no runs
Shadab to Watson, 1 run
End of over 10: Quetta Gladiators: 85/2 (IU: 158)
Sami to Umar Akmal, FOUR
Sami to Umar Akmal, FOUR
Sami to Watson, 1 run
Sami to Watson, 1 run
Sami to Watson, no runs
Sami to Watson, FOUR
End of over 9: Quetta Gladiators: 71/2 (IU: 158)
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 1 wide
Shadab to Umar Akmal, no run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, no runs
Shadab to Umar Akmal, FOUR
Shadab to Watson,no run
Shadab toWatson, 1 runs
End of over 8: Quetta Gladiators: 64/2 (IU: 158)
Patel to Umar Akmal, no run
Patel to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Patel to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Patel to Umar Akmal, no runs
Patel to Watson, 1 run
Patel to Watson, no runs
End of over 7: Quetta Gladiators: 62/2 (IU: 158)
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 2 runs
Shadab to Watson, 1 run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Shadab to Umar Akmal, SIX
Shadab to Umar Akmal, 2 runs
Shadab to Watson, 1 run
End of over 6: Quetta Gladiators: 49/2 (IU: 158)
Parnell to Umar Akmal, SIX
Parnell to Watson, 1 run
Parnell to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Parnell to Umar Akmal, FOUR
Parnell to Umar Akmal, FOUR
Parnell to Umar Akmal, no runs
End of over 5: Quetta Gladiators: 33/2 (IU: 158)
Rumman to Watson, no run
Rumman to Watson, no run
Rumman to Umar Akmal, 1 run
Rumman to Umar Akmal, no runs
Rumman to Rossouw,OUT
Rumman to Rossouw, FOUR
Rumman to Rossouw, 1 wide
End of over 4: Quetta Gladiators: 27/1 (IU: 158)
Faheem to Watson, no runs
Faheem to Watson, 2 run
Faheem to Watson, FOUR
Faheem to Watson, no runs
Faheem to Watson, FOUR
Faheem to Rossouw, 1 run
End of over 3: Quetta Gladiators: 16/1 (IU: 158)
Patel to Watson, FOUR
Patel to Rossouw, 1 run
Patel to Rossouw, FOUR
Patel to Rossouw, no runs
Patel to Shehzad, OUT
Patel to Shehzad, no runs
End of over 2: Quetta Gladiators: 7/0 (IU: 158)
Faheem to Watson, no runs
Faheem to Watson, no runs
Faheem to Shehzad, 1 run
Faheem to Shehzad, no runs
Faheem to Watson, 1 run
Faheem to Watson, 2 runs
End of over 1: Quetta Gladiators: 3/0 (IU: 158)
Patel to Shehzad, no runs
Patel to Watson, 1 run
Patel to Watson, no runs
Patel to Shehzad, 1 run
Patel to Shehzad, no runs
Patel to Watson, 1 run
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End of over 20: Islamabad United: 157/8
Mudasser to Patel FOUR
Mudasser to Patel, FOUR
Mudasser to Patel, 2 run
Mudasser to Patel, no run
Mudasser to Patel, no run
Mudasser to Sami, 1 run
End of over 19: Islamabad United: 146/8
Sohail Tanvir to Sami, 1 run
Sohail Tanvir to Mohammad Sami, 1 wide
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, OUT
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, FOUR
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, FOUR
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, FOUR
Sohail Tanvir to Patel, 1 run
End of over 18: Islamabad United: 131/7
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, FOUR
Irfan Jr. to Patel, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Patel, no runs
Irfan Jr. to Patel, no runs
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, FOUR
End of over 17: Islamabad United: 121/7
Sohail Tanvir to Patel, no run
Sohail Tanvir to Patel, 2 runs
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, 1 run
Sohail Tanvir to Patel, 1 run
Sohail Tanvir to Asif, OUT
Sohail Tanvir to Parnell, 1 leg bye
End of over 16: Islamabad United: 116/6
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, FOUR
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, no runs
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, FOUR
Irfan Jr. to Asif, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Parnell, 1 run
End of over 15: Islamabad United: 105/6
Smith to Asif, SIX
Smith to Asif, no runs
Mudasser to Asif, 2 runs
Mudasser to Asif, FOUR
Mudasser to Parnell, 1 run
Mudasser to Asif, 1 run
End of over 14: Islamabad United: 91/6
Nawaz to Parnell, SIX
Nawaz to Parnell, no runs
Nawaz to Asif, 1 run
Nawaz to Asif, no runs
Nawaz to Asif, no runs
Nawaz to Parnell, 1 run
End of over 13: Islamabad United: 83/6
Fawad to Asif, no run
Fawad to Parnell, 1 run
Fawad to Parnell, no run
Fawad to Faheem, OUT
Fawad to Faheem, no run
Fawad to Faheem, 1 run
End of over 12: Islamabad United: 81/5
Nawaz to Faheem, 1 run
Nawaz to Asif, 1 run
Nawaz to Asif, no runs
Nawaz to Asif, FOUR
Nawaz to Asif, no runs
Nawaz to Asif, no runs
End of over 11: Islamabad United: 76/5
Fawad to Faheem, no runs
Fawad to Faheem, no runs
Fawad to Faheem, no runs
Fawad to Hussain Talat, OUT
Fawad to Asif, 1 runs
Fawad to Asif, 2 run
End of over 10: Islamabad United: 73/4
Nawaz to Asif, 1 run
Nawaz to Asif, SIX
Nawaz to Asif, no run
Nawaz to Asif, no run
Nawaz to Asif, no run
Nawaz to Asif, 2 runs
End of over 9: Islamabad United: 64/4
Fawad to Asif, 1 runs
Fawad to Hussain Talat, 2 runs
Fawad Ahmed to Asif Ali, 1 run
Fawad to Asif, 2 runs
Fawad to Hussain Talat, 1 run
Fawad to Delport, OUT
End of over 8: Islamabad United: 58/3
Irfan Jr. to Delport, 3 runs
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Delport, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Delport, 2 runs
Irfan Jr. to Delport, FOUR
Irfan Jr. to Delport, no runs
End of over 7: Islamabad United: 47/3
Fawad to Delport, 1 run
Fawad to Hussain Talat, 1 run
Fawad to Delport, 1 run
Fawad to Delport, 4 byes
Fawad to Delport, no runs
Fawad to Delport, 2 run
End of over 6: Islamabad United: 38/3
Mudassar to Hussain Talat, FOUR
Mudassar to Hussain Talat, FOUR
Mudassar to Hussain Talat, FOUR
Mudassar to Delport, 1 run
Mudassar to Delport, no runs
Mudassar to Hussain Talat, 1 run
End of over 5: Islamabad United: 24/3
Irfan Jr. to Delport, 2 runs
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, 1 run
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, SIX
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, FOUR
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, no runs
Irfan Jr. to Hussain Talat, 2 runs
End of over 4: Islamabad United: 9/3
Mohammad Nawaz to Hussain Talat, 1 runs
Mohammad Nawaz to Hussain Talat, no runs
Mohammad Nawaz to Hussain Talat, no runs
Mohammad Nawaz to Hussain Talat, no runs
Mohammad Nawaz to Rizwan Hussain, OUT
Mohammad Nawaz to Rizwan Hussain, no runs
End of over 3: Islamabad United: 8/2
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, 1 run
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, 1 run
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Delport, no runs
End of over 2: Islamabad United: 6/2
Mudassar to Delport, 1 run
Mudassar to Rizwan Hussain, 1 run
Mudassar to Rizwan Hussain, no runs
Mudassar to Rizwan Hussain, no runs
Mudassar to Rizwan Hussain, FOUR
Mudassar to Rizwan Hussain, no runs
End of over 1: Islamabad United: 0/2
Sohail Tanvir to Shadab, OUT
Sohail Tanvir to Shadab, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Shadab, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Shadab, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Shadab, no runs
Sohail Tanvir to Ronchi, OUT
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Quetta Gladiators won the toss and opted to bowl in the sixth match of the Pakistan Super League's (PSL) fourth edition in Dubai on Sunday.
The sixth Twenty20 match in the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played at 5:00 pm on Sunday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium between defending champions Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators.
Islamabad United have so far played two matches in PSL–2019, winning one by five wickets against Lahore Qalandars and losing one by five wickets to Multan Sultans while Quetta Gladiators have appeared in just one match and they won it by six wickets against Peshawar Zalmi.
Fast bowler Mohammad Sami is captaining the team of Islamabad United for the first time in place of Misbah-ul-Haq, who is now playing for Peshawar Zalmi. The Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed has led Quetta Gladiators in all the three past editions and this is his fourth consecutive season as captain.
Both teams are balanced sides as Islamabad United have the services of Faheem Ashraf, Waqas Maqsood, Asif Ali, Rizwan Hussain, L Ronchi, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan besides their captain pacer Sami.
On the other side, Quetta Gladiators consist of Ahmed Shehzad, Shane Watson, Umar Akmal, Rilee Rossouw, Dwayne Smith, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan and Mohammad Nawaz along with their skipper Sarfraz.
Islamabad United are hoping to win the title again whereas Quetta Gladiators, who reached the final for two successive years but could not win the title, are also dreaming to become the PSL champions.