PSL 2021: Lahore Qalandars trump Islamabad United to become table toppers

Islamabad United's Shadab Khan's gamble to use Hussain Talat for the penultimate over proved costly as Lahore Qalandars trumped the two-time champions to spring to the top of the table after the Pakistan Super League's (PSL) sixth edition resumed at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The Afghan player's consecutive boundaries in the final over guided Lahore Qalandars to win the match on the last ball of the game.

Following the well-deserved victory, the Qalandars have now become table toppers with 8 points to their name.

Rashid scored 15 from 5 balls, while Qalandars skipper Sohail Akhtar lead from the front, scoring 40 runs — the highest individual score in the innings — before being dismissed by Fawad Ahmed.

Mohammad Hafeez scored 29, Tim David 23, Ben Dunk 17, while Fakhar Zaman and Muhammad Faizan hit 9 runs each.

Meanwhile, from Islamabad United, Hasan Ali took two wickets, whereas Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, and Fawad Ahmed were able to take one each.

Earlier, Islamabad United had set a 144-run target for Lahore Qalandars. None of United's players, except Faheem Ashraf, 27, were able to score above 20 runs.

United put up a mediocre batting effort after their top order — Usman Khawaja, 18, Colin Munro, 11, Rohail Nazir, 8 — crumpled, and the middle order could provide little impetus to the innings.

Colin Munro and hoe town debutant Usman Khawaja opened for United, while Shaheen Shah Afridi started the bowling for the Qalandars.

James Faulkner took three wickets, Haris Rauf and Ahmed Daniyal two each, and Shaheen Shah Afridi and Rashid Khan were able to pick a wicket each.

The Qalandars were able to keep their blowing and fielding tight as they were able to restrict United to a struggling 143.

This was the first match of PSL 2021 where both the teams went head-to-head.

Before the start of the match, Islamabad United had won 3 out of 4 matches and was above Lahore Qalandars on the basis of Net Run Rate (NRR) on the points table.

Squad:

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar, Muhammad Faizan, Mohammed Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wicket keeper), Tim David, James Faulkner, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf

Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Usman Khawaja, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Hussain Talat, Rohail Nazir (wicket keeper), Asif Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, Fawad Ahmed

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