Gladiators beat Qalandars by 9 wickets

DUBAI: Shane Watson led from the front with the bat, as he clobbered the Lahore Qalandars bowlers all over the park in Quetta Gladiators’ 9-wicket win at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

Watson scored a match-winning 66 from 42 balls, including 5 boundaries and 5 sixes. He was ably supported by Asad Shafiq (38 off 36 balls, 1 four and 3 sixes) who along with Watson strung a 92-run partnership for the first wicket as they proceeded to make short work of the 120-run target set by Lahore Qalandars, to earn Quetta’s largest win in terms of wickets.

Sunil Narine was the only Lahore bowler to pick up a wicket when he dismissed Watson in the 12th over, as the Austrian missed a quick one from the West Indian.

The Qalandars were put in to bat, and Brendon McCullum, opening with Sunil Narine, gave their side the best possible start. Narine smashed Shane Watson for 24 runs in an over as Lahore raced to 45 in the first three overs. McCullum was timing the ball beautifully too, but as soon as Narine fell, Quetta’s bowlers found a way to break in. The first five overs fetched 50, the next 15 fetched 59, and the hollowness of Lahore’s middle order was on full display yet again.

Lahore Qalandars are now at rock bottom of the table with two losses from two. Quetta have won one and lost the other, and are placed third.