Gladiators beat Qalandars to reach playoffs. In a gripping showdown at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, the Quetta Gladiators clinched a thrilling six-wicket victory over the Lahore Qalandars in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine on Sunday.
With this win, the Karachi Kings find themselves ousted from contention for the coveted final four spots.
Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, and the Quetta Gladiators have secured their berths in the playoffs, marking the Gladiators’ first appearance in the final four since 2019.
The nail-biting chase was ignited by Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel, who displayed remarkable authority right from the outset.
Roy’s aggressive approach was evident as he smashed three consecutive boundaries off the first three deliveries from Shaheen Afridi’s over.
Nevertheless, the Qalandars managed to regain control, with Jahandad Khan dismissing Roy for 18 runs in the final over of the powerplay.
Captain Rilee Rossouw failed to make a significant impact, tallying just 13 runs off 11 balls before falling victim to Jahandad’s bowling.
Saud, however, remained steadfast at one end, while Khawaja Nafay struggled to find his rhythm. Nafay managed a slow-paced 26 off 23 balls before being dismissed LBW by Shaheen.
With 28 runs required off the final two overs, Saud and Laurie Evans provided some hope for the Gladiators by finding the boundaries.
However, Shaheen’s brilliant catch off Evans’ bat added drama to the proceedings, leaving Saud to steer his team to victory.
Saud managed two crucial boundaries in the final over, but it was Mohammad Wasim Jr’s nerveless batting that sealed the deal with a boundary off the last ball.
Gladiators beat Qalandars to reach playoffs.
In the first innings, Lahore Qalandars posted a competitive total of 166/4 after opting to bat first. Shaheen Afridi and Abdullah Shafique starred with blistering half-centuries, setting up a formidable target for the Gladiators.
Despite losing Sahibzada Farhan and Tahir Baig early in their innings, Abdullah and Shai Hope steadied the ship. However, it was Shaheen’s explosive partnership with Abdullah that propelled the Qalandars to a commanding total.
Shaheen’s aggressive innings saw him rack up 55 runs off just 34 balls, while Abdullah remained unbeaten with a composed 59 off 39 deliveries.
For the Gladiators, Abrar Ahmed led the bowling attack with two crucial wickets, while Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Wasim Jr chipped in with a wicket each, ensuring a hard-fought victory for their team.
