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Thursday March 28, 2024

Cutting helps Gladiators beat Islamabad United

By Abdul Mohi Shah
February 28, 2020

RAWALPINDI: In an impressive display of run-chase in front of near to capacity Pindi Stadium crowd Thursday, Quetta Gladiators thumped Islamabad United by five wickets to go on top of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) V points table.

BCJ Cutting 17-ball 42not out was enough to seal an emphatic win for Gladiators following high scoring match that entertained the crowd to the fullest. Cutting who was later named Man of the Match, struck two sixes in the last over of the day bowled by Amad Butt (0-31) to settle the matter.

Islamabad United’s 187 for 7 was always been a daunting score for Gladiators to chase which they did with two balls to spare. Cutting turned out to be the hero for the Gladiators with a powerful innings that was studded with four sixes and two fours. Together with Mohammad Nawaz (25 not out), he put on 57-runs for the unbroken sixth wicket from just 27 balls to win the day for Gladiators. With three wins from four outings, defending champion Quetta has taken the top position on the points table.

Jason Roy (50) gave Quetta Gladiators a flying start at early fall of Shane Watson (9). The powerful opening bat smashed two sixes and six fours in his blazing 30-ball fifty keep his team well on track of a daunting run chase. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmad (33) also served Quetta Gladiators cause well for a brief period.

Earlier, Islamabad United lost the way from a blazing start that fetched the team 154 for 4 in 15 overs before getting restricted to a reachable target. Had it not been to some powerful hitting from CA Ingram (63 not out) who struck 15 of the last over, reaching 187 for 7 would not have been possible. The left handed batsman who is part of the strong foreign import batting line up of United, smashed two sixes and six fours during his 41-ball unbeaten stay at the wicket.

Dropped twice, once at deep mid-on by Naseem Shah (2-23), he anchored United innings following exciting batting up front from C Munro (31) and Shadab Khan (39). Shadab 20-ball stay at the wicket was studded with three boundaries and two sixes. Together with Munro he put on 74 runs for the fourth wicket that set the tone for a big total. Amid all the firework that enthralled a powerful Pindi crowd, Naseem Shah bowled with pace and hostility to emerge as the pick of bowlers for Gladiators.

Score: Islamabad United 187 for 7 in 20 overs (CA Ingram 63 not out, Shadab Khan 39, C Munro 31, Naseem Shah 2-23, TS Mills 2-34) Quetta Gladiators 190 for 5 in 19.4 overs (Jason Roy 50, B Cutting 42 not out, Sarfraz Ahmad 33, Mohammad Nawaz 25 not out, Ahmad Safi Abdullah 2-17, Faheem Ashraf 2-46).