KARACHI: Quetta Gladiators, already out of the race for playoffs, showed some grace when they survived Tim David and Haris Rauf’s scare to beat Lahore Qalandars by 18 runs in their match of the HBL PSL-6 at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Needing 37 from last three overs with the last pair at the crease, Haris Rauf hit Mohammad Hasnain for two fours and one six before he was bowled by the right-armer off his last delivery to seal a win for Gladiators as Lahore were folded for 140 in 18 overs while chasing 159. Haris hit 19 off seven balls.
Earlier, when Lahore were 66-7, Tim David hit a 27-ball 46 with four fours and three sixes to put some life in the game.
Usman Shinwari (3-32) and Khurram Shahzad (3-14) were the main architects of Gladiators’ win.
Mohammad Nawaz (2-16) and Mohammad Hasnain (2-40) were the other contributors.
After being invited to bat first, Quetta Gladiators opened with Jake Weatherald and Usman Khan. James Faulkner inflicted the first blow on Gladiators when the left-arm Australian pacer bowled Usman Khan in the second over of the innings for a four-ball duck.
Weatherald then enabled Gladiators to get some momentum when he dominated the 58-run second wicket partnership with Cameron Delport, who once again failed to play a major knock when he was bowled by leggie Rashid Khan for an 11-ball 10, which featured one four.
Mohammad Hafeez got rid of dangerous Weatherald to provide a huge boost to Lahore after the Australian had hit eight fours and one six in his superb 41-ball 48.
At this stage, Azam Khan showed a glimpse of aggressive batting as the mighty right-handed batsman smacked five fours and one six in his 18-ball 33 to boost Gladiators' run rate. Faulkner not only got rid of dangerous Azam, held by Fakhar, but also removed Mohammad Nawaz (6) in the same over to reduce Gladiators to 115-5 in 15 overs.
Skipper Sarfraz (34*) tried to build the total. The former Pakistan captain shared a valuable 43 runs for the sixth wicket unbroken stand with Hassan Khan to take Quetta to 158-5. Hassan scored 15-ball 12 not out. Sarfraz smacked three fours and one six from 27 deliveries.
Faulkner picked up 3-25 in four overs, taking his wicket tally in the event to eight from three games.
Mohammad Hafeez got 1-12 in two overs, while Rashid claimed 1-23 in four overs.
Haris Rauf remained the most expensive bowler as he conceded 44 runs in four overs, without taking a wicket.
Gladiators made early inroads as Usman Shinwari and Mohammad Hasnain took early wickets to reduce Lahore Qalandars to 27-3 in the fifth over.
Usman got rid of Lahore skipper Sohail Akhtar off the seond ball of the innings for a golden duck. Soon afterwards Hasnain had Fakhar Zaman for a nine-ball 12 with one four before Usman got rid of Hafeez for a five-ball one to put Gladiators in the driving seat.
Lahore’s poor journey continued as Khurram Shahzad removed Zeeshan Ashraf, who edged the right-armer to keeper Sarfraz for an 18-ball 16 which included one six.
Lahore were gasping at 39-4 in the sixth over.
In the next over, left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz piled up further misery on Lahore when he bowled dangerous Ben Dunk for a five-ball six with one four. Dunk had been dropped by Sarfraz off Usman when on one.
Rashid Khan and Tim David tried to make a recovery but Rashid was bowled by Nawaz. The Afgahnistan player hit one four in his ten-ball eight.
Khurram then sent Ahmed Daniyal (3) back, held by Nawaz at cover, and Lahore were reeling at 68-7 in 12 overs.
Tim David offered tough time to Gladiators. The Singapore batsman looked dangerous but Usman Shinwari eventually removed him, held by keeper Sarfraz after he had hit a fiery 27-ball 46, striking three sixes and four fours.
Lahore were 105-8 in 15 overs.
Shaheen Afridi then hit Hasnain for a six and a four before Khurram got rid of him in the 17th over for six-ball 12. Haris batted superbly before being removed by Hasnain off the final ball of the 18th over.
Usman Shinwari, playing his first game in the Abu Dhabi leg, was adjudged the man of the match. Gladiators have four points from eight games. Lahore have ten from eight games.