Salman, Shaheen shine as Lahore down Islamabad to reach HBL PSL X final

Staff Report

LAHORE: Salman Mirza and Shaheen Shah Afridi bagged combined figures of 6-19 in 6.1 overs to dismantle Islamabad United’s batting line-up in Eliminator 2 of the HBL PSL X as Lahore Qalandars registered a 95-run triumph here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Friday night. Qalandars will face Quetta Gladiators in the HBL PSL X final on Sunday, 25 May at the Gaddafi Stadium. Islamabad fell flat for 107 – joint second-lowest total in HBL PSL X, in pursuit of a 203-run target. Qalandars took 15.1 overs to round off United’s innings with leg-spinner Rishad Hossain also picking up three wickets. Salman Ali Agha (33, 26b, 4x4s, 1×6) and Shadab Khan (26, 14b, 3x6s) were the only batters to reach double figures for United. Shaheen drew the first blood for his team uprooting Mohammad Shahzad’s stumps in the opening over.

Salman backed up his captain’s new ball heroics by castling Sahibzada Farhan in the second over and removing Rassie van der Dussen in the fourth over. Imad Wasim and Salman Agha tried to salvage the United innings by hitting 14 runs in the fifth over of Powerplay, where they stood 33-4, but fell to Salman. At the halfway mark United stood 72-5 but lost their remaining wickets for a mere 35 runs, with Rishad striking twice in 12th over. Shaheen bagged the last wicket in the 16th over as he returned economical figures of 3.1-1-3-3. Earlier, Lahore Qalandars posted 202-8 with the help of half-centuries from Kusal Perera and Mohammad Naeem. After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Qalandars lost their prolific opening batter Fakhar Zaman for an 11-ball 12 at the end of second over. Naeem, who struck his third HBL PSL half-century, stitched a breezy 70-run stand with Abdullah Shafique to set the tone for a mammoth total. Qalandars collected 58 runs from the Powerplay including 18 runs off Naseem Shah’s fifth over.

Imad Wasim removed Naeem in the eighth over, who returned for an impressive 25-ball 50 inclusive of seven fours and two sixes, bringing the other half-centurion Perera (61, 35b, 1×4, 2x6s) to the crease. Qalandars found themselves 93-2 at the halfway mark with Abdullah Shafique (25, 24b, 3×4) and Perera looking to build on. Abdullah’s progress at the crease was stemmed James Neesham in the 12th over to with the scorecard reading 103-3. For the next 28 balls Sri Lankan duo of Perera and Bhanuka Rajapaksa (22, 13b, 2x4s, 1×6) piled on 48 runs to keep the momentum intact. Lahore Qalandars eked out 69 runs off the last five overs despite losing as many wickets as Perera hit two sixes and a four in Naseem’s 18th over consigning him for 21 runs, while Asif Ali chipped in with a seven-ball 15 hitting two sixes. Qalandars breached the 200-run mark for the third time in HBL PSL X. For United, Tymal Mills picked up three wickets, while Salman dismissed two batters.

Brief scores:

Lahore Qalandars 202-8, 20 overs (Kusal Perera 61, Mohammad Naeem 50, Abdullah Shafique 25, Bhanuka Rajapaksa 22; Tymal Mills 3-42, Salman Irshad 2-40) vs Islamabad United 107 all out, 15.1 overs (Salman Ali Agha 33, Shadab Khan 26; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-3, Salman Mirza 3-16, Rishad Hossain 3-34)

Player of the match – Salman Mirza (Lahore Qalandars).