PSL 10: Hasan Nawaz's heroics power Gladiators to victory over United

• Nawaz was standout performer with unbeaten 64 off 41 balls.
• For United, Naseem and Salman Irshad picked up two wickets each.
• Muhammad Nawaz top-scores for United with a 34-ball 49. 

LAHORE: Hasan Nawaz starred with the bat as Quetta Gladiators clinched a thrilling victory over Islamabad United in the 23rd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.

Chasing a 158-run target, the Gladiators clinched victory on the penultimate delivery of the innings when Nawaz smashed Muhammad Shahzad for a match-winning six.

The Gladiators got off to a brisk start as their opening pair, skipper Saud Shakeel and Finn Allen, put together 28 runs inside the first three overs. However, both openers fell in quick succession. Allen, the more aggressive of the two, scored 20, while Saud managed just 7 off 8 deliveries.

After the early blows, Rilee Rossouw and Nawaz stabilised the innings with a 52-run partnership. The duo looked composed until a mix-up in running between the wickets brought an end to Rossouw’s gritty knock. He departed for 27 off 24 balls, which included four boundaries.

His dismissal triggered a mini-collapse, with the Gladiators losing four wickets in quick succession, slumping to 117/7 by the 16th over.

Nawaz then found support in Mohammad Wasim Jr, adding a vital 26-run partnership. Wasim fell on the last ball of the 19th over, leaving 15 runs required off the final over.

Hasan, now the lone set batter, rode his luck — getting lifelines on the first two deliveries of the final over — before dispatching Shahzad for a six. Though he failed to connect with the fourth delivery, another dropped catch allowed him to steal two runs.

He eventually made the most of his reprieves by launching Shahzad over deep backward square for a six to seal a dramatic win for the Gladiators.

Nawaz was the standout performer with an unbeaten 64 off 41 balls, including two fours and four sixes.

For Islamabad United, Naseem Shah and Salman Irshad picked up two wickets each, while Mohammad Nawaz, Jason Holder, and Salman Ali Agha claimed one apiece. 

Ealrier, Islamabad United set a 158-run target for Quetta Gladiators.

Put into bat first, the defending champions accumulated 157/9 in their allotted 20 overs.

The holders, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as their new opening pair of Sahibzada Farhan and Kyle Mayers laid a solid foundation by putting together a brisk 58-run partnership.

The opening stand culminated in the sixth over when Abrar Ahmed gave Gladiators a much-needed breakthrough by cleaning up Mayers, who scored 22 off 17 deliveries with the help of three fours and a six.

Faheem then inflicted two more blows to the United’s batting expedition as he removed Colin Munro (nine) and stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha (zero) in his first over.

United suffered another massive blow when set batter Sahibzada Farhan fell victim to Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel.

He remained the top-scorer for the United with a 24-ball 39, laced with two fours and four sixes.

With United reeling at 77/4 in 9.5 overs, Mohammad Nawaz and Andries Gous attempted to anchor the innings but could only put together 14 runs as Faheem made a twin strike again, dismissing the wicketkeeper batter and Muhammad Shahzad.

The back-to-back blows had further reduced the United to 91/6 in 13 overs.

Following the slump, Haider Ali joined Mohammad Nawaz in the middle and together they raised a valiant 39-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Nawaz was the core aggressor of the stand, while Haider played a supportive role with his eight-ball 10 until falling victim to Khurram Shahzad in the 18th over.

The left-handed batter, on the other hand, fell victim to Kyle Jamieson in the final over after top-scoring for the United with a 34-ball 49, comprised of one four and five sixes.

He was also involved in a crucial 26-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Jason Holder, who made an unbeaten 14 off 11 deliveries.

Faheem Ashraf was the standout bowler for the Gladiators, taking four wickets for just 25 runs in his three overs. He was supported by Khurram, Abrar, Saud and Jamieson, who made one scalp apiece.