Lahore Qalandars, 2020 runners-up, got off to a winning start with a four-wicket victory against Peshawar Zalmi in the second match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6 at Karachi’s National Stadium yesterday. Qalandars, who had never won their opening match in any of the five previous editions, made history in the 19th over.
Qalandars chased down the 141-run target for the loss of six wickets with nine balls to spare. Mohamed Hafeez anchored the Qalandars innings with an unbeaten 33 off 26 balls, hitting five fours.
Rashid Khan, Qalandars’ platinum pick, blasted his way to 27 as he smashed three fours and a six, which sealed the match, in his undefeated 15-ball knock.
Both batsmen contributed an unbroken 34-run partnership for the seventh-wicket. Before the two came together, Qalandars found themselves in a spot of bother following back-to-back dismissals of Samit Patel (eight off 11 balls) and David Weise in the 16th over as Saqib Mahmood, who returned two for 22, bowled the former and trapped the latter in front of stumps.
Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz also accounted for two batsmen as he finished with the figures of two for 30.
Qalandars were provided an excellent start by Shaheen Shah Afridi. The left-arm quick induced a leading edge off Imam-ul-Haq on the first ball of the match with a delivery that shaped away from the left-handed batsman to provide the first breakthrough.
Afridi bowled impeccable lengths, denying the opposition batsman any opportunities to score against him, and finished with three for 14 in four overs, which bagged him the Player of the Match award.
Zalmi’s troubles compounded with the introduction of Rashid, who bowled economical spell of 4-0-14-0 in his PSL debut.
Peshawar were reeling at four for 46 in the eighth over, before Ravi Bopara and Sherfane Rutherford got together and stitched a valuable 64 runs for the fifth-wicket. Bopara, who featured for Multan Sultans in the fifth edition, top-scored with a 44-ball 50. His innings included six boundaries.
Rutherford, picked by Zalmi in the diamond category, scored 26 off 27. His first of two sixes, was the first of the match, hit off David Wiese’s bowling in the 13th over.
After the departure of both batsmen, Amad Butt, batting at number seven, contributed a quickfire unbeaten 23 off 11 balls. His two maximums were hit in the 20th over, which helped the side to a decent finish at 140 for six.
Qalandars’ Mohamed Salman Mirza, making his debut in the PSL after he was drafted in the side as a replacement for injured Dilbar Hussain, ended-up with two for 35. He accounted for Pakistan internationals Kamran Akmal (five off 10) and Haider Ali (first-ball duck), in his opening spell.


Gregory stars with bat and ball in thrilling Islamabad victory
Meanwhile, in the second match of the day, an unbeaten 49 by Lewis Gregory pulled Islamabad United past the 151-run target with an over to spare against Multan Sultans.
Islamabad had opened their chase well before Phil Sait fell in the fourth over with the score at 30. Shadab Khan-led side were then reduced to 74 for 6 in the 12th over leaving them with a daunting task. However, a 43-run stand between Englishman Gregory and Faheem Ashraf stabilised the chase before the latter was sent back in the 16th over. Gregory then took majority of the strike as he and Zafar Gohar (3 runs) added the remaining 34 runs for the win. Carlos Braithwaite and Shahid Afridi took two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Multan captain Mohamed Rizwan scored a 53-ball 71 in their 150 for 8. Mohamed Wasim of Islamabad took three wickets, while Gregory, the Player of the Match, accounted for two. (PSL)


BRIEF SCORES
* Peshawar Zalmi 140-6 (Ravi Bopara 50; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-14, Mohamed Salman Mirza 2-35) lost to Lahore Qalandars 143-6 in 18.3 overs (Mohamed Hafeez 33 not out, Rashid Khan 27 not out; Saqib Mahmood 2-22, Wahab Riaz 2-30) by four wickets. Player of the Match: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Lahore Qalandars)
* Multan Sultans 150 for 8 (Mohamed Rizwan 71; Mohamed Wasim 3-29, Lewis Gregory 2-31) lost to Islamabad United 151 for 7 in 19 overs (Lewis Gregory 49 not out; Carlos Brathwaite 2-23, Shahid Afridi 2-24) by three wickets. Player of the Match: Lewis Gregory (Islamabad United)