LAHORE, Feb 18 (APP):All-rounders Shadab Khan 74 n.o. and Agha Salman 64 n.o. hit identical unbeaten half-centuries in an unbroken stand of 138 runs for the third wicket to overhaul a daunting target of 196 for the Islamabad United and beat defending champions Lahore Qalandars by eight wickets in the HBL PSL 9 opener at the Gaddafi stadium here on Saturday night.
Islamabad United took ascendency when Shadab and Agha Slaman got together in the eighth over of their innings with team total reeling at 62-2 and they needed 135 runs off 76 balls. The two all-rounders toyed with the formidable Qalandars bowling attack and made the target look unbelievably easy.
Agha Salman was adjudged Player of the Match for his blistering match defining knock of 64 off 30 balls.
Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan made his intentions clear to reclaim his place in the national side with a captain’s knock. Shadab Khan, in the pre-match press conference the other evening, had made his intentions clear of making a comeback to the national side with his performance and win a Player of the Series.
Among the United openers Alex Hales was the most fluent as he hit 36 off 28 balls while Colin Munro scored a painstaking 5 off 11 balls.
Lahore Qalandars’ pace trio of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan looked pedestrian before the power-hitting of Shadab Khan and Agha Salman as the both all rounders hit 13 boundaries and eight 6s between them. Afridi and Haris Rauf remained wicketless and conceded 31 and 38 runs respectively off the seven overs both bowlers bowled. Zaman Khan and debutant off-spinner Salman Fayyaz claimed a wicket each 33 and 23 runs. Fast bowler Jahandad Khan impressed with his change of pace but returned wicketless in his quota of four overs conceding 39 runs.
Earlier, Rassie van der Dusen and Sahibzada Farhan hit half-centuries to help Lahore Qalandars post 195-5 and set Islamabad United a daunting target of 196 runs.
Rassie van Dussen played a blazing knock of 71 not out off 41 balls which included four boundaries and three 6s while Sahibzada Farhan’s innings of 57 off 36 balls was laced with eight boundaries and one six. Abdullah Shafique 28 (22), Fakhar Zaman 13 (13) and David Wiese 14 (8) were the other main contributors to the Lahore Qalandars total while Shaheen Shah Afridi who promoted himself to bat a number 6 was run out without scoring a run.
Sahibzada Farhan continued to do well at the home turfs, after scoring only 20 runs in two outings in the New Zealand T20I series, and scored a brisk knock and hit 67 runs for the first wicket alongside Fakhar Zaman.
Tymil Mills, though a bit expensive, was the most successful bowler for the Islamabad United who claimed two scalps of Sahibzada Farhan and Abdullah Shafique for 45 runs off four overs while Naseem Shah and Shadab Khan claimed one wicket each for 36 and 24 runs respectively from their quota of four overs each. Imad Wasim conceded 33 runs off four overs while Faheem Ashraf leaked 40 runs off his three overs. The emerging category fast bowler Ubaid Shah, younger brother of ace pacer Naseem Shah, bowled only one over and conceded 15 runs off his only over. Ubaid Shah also made debut in the HBL PSL 9 for Islamabad United.
Despite being rusty after returning to competitive cricket after a long layoff due to injuries Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah fared well claiming one wicket each while Shadab Khan emerged as the most economical bowler for the United.
Naseem Shah bowled the first ball of the HBL PSL 9 and the first runs of the new season were scored off a wide ball.
A double header awaits on Sunday (tomorrow) with Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators to face off in the day match at the Gaddafi Stadium while the evening fixture will be played between Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings at Multan Stadium in Multan. The day match will start at 2 p.m. while the evening tie will be played at 7.30 p.m.
