Cricket Highlights, 06 Mar: PSL 2023 (Match 21) – Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators

Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators (Match 21) – Highlights

In the 21st match of PSL 2023, Islamabad United secured an impressive 2-wicket win against Quetta Gladiators with 3 balls in hand at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi was selected player of the match after taking the highest number of three wickets for him conceding 25 runs in 4 overs.

After winning the toss, Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan opted to field first sending Quetta Gladiators to bat. Quetta Gladiators collected a challenging score of 179 runs after losing 6 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. In response, Islamabad United reached the port of victory after losing 8 wickets in 19.3 overs.

However, wicket-keeper batsman Azam Khan and bowling all-rounder Faheem Ashraf played key roles in the victory of Islamabad United. But apart from these two, Kiwi batsman, Colin Munro made another important contribution to the team’s victory. United got off to a great start largely thanks to his blistering innings of 63 off 29 balls.

Coming down to chase the target of 180 runs, United’s opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz was caught by the delivery of pacer Naseem Shah in the second ball of the innings. After that Munro’s devastating batting started. He returned to the pavilion scoring 63 runs playing 29 balls, he hit 5 fours and 4 sixes to play the innings. Then the team score stood at 96 runs for 4 wickets at the end of 7 overs.

Before that, Alex Hales (12) and captain Shadab Khan (8) went back to the dressing room earlier. But when the team score was 111/6 in 11.1 overs, United went on the back foot a bit. However, Azam Khan and Faheem Ashraf brought the team to the verge of victory from there. On the seventh wicket, these two made an impeccable partnership of 58 runs.

Azam returned to the pavilion after scoring 35 runs off 25 balls, but Faheem left the field bringing up a victory for the team. Faheem scored an unbeaten 39 off 31 balls with the help of 6 fours. Umaid Asif scalped the highest number of 3 wickets for Quetta Gladiators. Apart from this, Mohammad Nawaz took 2 wickets, and Iftikhar Ahmed and Naveen-ul-Haq took 1 wicket each.

Batters of Quetta Gladiators did not get off to a good start earlier. They lost 4 wickets to score 17 runs in 5.3 overs. From there Mohammad Nawaz and Najibullah Zadran brought the team back to the match. These two made a partnership of 104 runs for the fifth wicket. Nawaz got out after scoring 52 runs off 44 balls.

But Najibullah returned to the pavilion scoring 59 runs off 34 balls, with 5 fours and 3 sixes. But in the end, Quetta Gladiators collected a fighting score due to Umar Akmal’s stormy innings of 43 runs off 14 balls (2 fours and 5 sixes). Apart from these three batters, no other batsman could make a double-digit score for Quetta Gladiators.

Apart from Fazalhaq Farooqi, Faheem Ashraf took 2 wickets and Rumman Raees took 1 wicket each for Islamabad United.

Islamabad United has ascended to 2nd place in the points table with five wins and two losses in seven matches. On the other hand, Quetta Gladiators are still at the bottom of the points table playing seven matches, they have one win and six losses.

Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators Scoreboard

Quetta Gladiators – 179/6 (20.0)

Islamabad United – 183/8 (19.3)

Result – Islamabad United won by 2 wickets

Player of the match – Fazalhaq Farooqi

Islamabad United

Islamabad United vs Quetta Gladiators Playing XIs