KARACHI: 2019 champions Quetta Gladiators defeated defending champions Lahore Qalandars by 6 wickets in match 26 of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
Qalandars skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi’s decision to bat first backfired as they managed to score just 134 runs in 19.5 overs.
Wicketkeeper batsman Haseebullah Khan led the way with a cautious 33 off 37 balls, followed by No.10 Usama Mir and left-arm opener Faqar Zaman with 22 and 20 respectively.
For the Gladiators, off-spinner Usman Tariq and left-arm fast bowler Jahandad Khan took 3 wickets each, Alsari Joseph 2 wickets and Saqib Khan 1 wicket.
In turn, they made light work of the previous edition’s runner-up target of 135 runs as they chased down 4 wickets and 22 balls.
Leading the charge for the Gladiators was veteran left-handed batsman Riley Rossow, who scored an unbeaten half-century, scoring 60 off 49 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes.
Rosso was mostly supported by middle-order batsman Hasan Nawaz, who scored 49 off 32 balls with six fours and two sixes.
The duo shared a 104-run partnership for the third wicket and rescued the Gladiators from a poor start that saw them lose both their openers for 11 runs in three overs.
Haris Raoob, Sikandar Raza and captain Shaheen can take one wicket each for Gulandar side.
The six-wicket win lifted Quetta Gladiators to the fourth spot in the PSL 11 standings.
| Teams | Competitions | succeeds | Losses | No results | points | Net flow rate |
| Peshawar Zalmi (K) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 2.404 |
| Islamabad United | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 1.481 |
| Sultans of Multan | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0.527 |
| Quetta Gladiators | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0.483 |
| Hyderabad Kingsmen | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | -0.470 |
| Kings of Karachi | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -1.501 |
| Lahore Colleagues | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | -1.020 |
| Rawalpindi’s | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | -1.821 |
Instead, the defeat ended the reigning champions Qalandars’ third in a row and left them in seventh place with four points after seven games.
The Gladiators’ win means 2017 champions Peshawar Zalmi have now officially qualified for the PSL 11 playoffs as they sit at the summit with 13 points after seven matches.
2021 winners Multan Sultans and three-time champions Islamabad United occupy the next two spots with nine and eight points respectively.