tawandamusarurwa
Online Reporter
SIKANDAR RAZA’s Pakistan Super League outfit Lahore Qalanders bounced back to winning ways in style, as the defending champions beat Islamabad United by 119 runs in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
After a humbling 35-run loss to Peshawar Zalmi in their previous match, the runaway PSL log leaders needed to respond.
And they did so emphatically.
Questions over the strengths of Qalanders’ top order were duly answered, as opener Fakhar Zaman scored a blistering 57-ball 115 runs and number three batter Kamran Ghulam chipped in with 41 runs off 48 balls.
Their contributions, which included a 122-run second-wicket partnership, helped Qalanders to an imposing 226 for five total.
Wicketkeeper Sam Billings also starred with his 22-ball 32 runs cameo, which relieved some of the pressure on their bowlers.
Rashid Khan, as to be expected, then made a feast of the Islamabad United batters, as his four for 21 runs saw the visitors trickle out for 107 runs.
United never appeared to be in contention for a successful chase, with their top contributions coming from the duo of Alex Hales and Hasan Ali, who both top scored for their team with 18 runs each.
It was the heaviest defeat in the Pakistan Super League’s history, and the win saw Qalanders put some distance between them and the rest of the chasing pack.
In Zaman Khan and Haris Rauf, Rashin Khan found assistance in helping peg the United batters back, as the two finished with two wickets for 17 runs and two for 16 runs, respectively.
The log leaders are now on 14 points from nine matches, while Islamabad United are second and stay rooted on 12 points from the same number of games.
Multan Sultan and Peshawar Zalmi are third and fourth, respectively, with both teams tied on eight points from eight games.
Quetta Gladiators (6) and the already ousted Karachi Kings (4) wrap up the log standings, albeit after having played nine games themselves.
Online Reporter