PSL 2020: Quetta Gladiators defeat Islamabad United by 5 wickets

RAWALPINDI: The Quetta Gladiators on Thursday defeated the Islamabad United by five wickets to claim yet another victory after a splendid innings by Jason Roy helped them get off to a good start. 

Ben Cutting was instrumental in helping the Gladiators see the match through as he made a swashbuckling 42 runs from 17 balls, his innings featuring four huge sixes. Cutting hit the winning six to ensure Quetta won the match for his team. 

The Gladiators looked in trouble at one point in time when Shane Watson fell cheaply for 9 runs from 8 balls, hitting only two boundaries. Ahmed Shahzad continued his poor form of the tournament, getting dismissed by a Shadab Khan delivery when he was only on 12 runs. 

Azam Khan, on whom the Gladiators have depended so far, failed to live up to expectations as he got out on 10 runs from 11 balls. In walked skipper Sarfaraz and changed the dynamics of the game, scoring 33 runs from 20 balls to lead a Quetta resurgence. 

Nawaz gave him much-needed support from the other end, scoring 25 off 20 balls. Cutting and Nawaz saw the Gladiators through to another victory, with the former finishing the match in style with a huge six. 

Earlier, Jason Roy gave an excellent start to the Gladiators, scoring 50 runs from 38 balls. He hit two sixes and six 4s Ahmed Safi Abdullah dismissed him. 

Munro steered United to their 187-run total at the end of the innings by scoring an unbeaten 63 runs from 40 balls. He hit two sixes and six 4s during his innings. 

Shadab Khan once again pitched  in with the bat, making an impressive 39 runs from 25 balls, hitting two sixes and three 4s before he was caught by Nawaz off a Cutting delivery. 

Tymal Mills brought Gladiators back into the game with two quick wickets, dismissing Amad Butt and Asif Ali cheaply. 

Right-arm pacer Naseem Shah picked up two early wickets and Mohammad Hasnain chipped in with one to put Islamabad United on the back foot on Thursday, as United lost three early wickets a little after five years were bowled in the game.  

Luke Ronchi looked dangerous before he was clean bowled by a blistering delivery from teenage sensation Naseem Shah. The Islamabad United opening batsman made 11 runs from four balls before he was sent to the pavilion. 

A few overs later, Shah took another scalp when he made short work of Malan, dismissing him in similar fashion as he did Ronchi, shattering the stumps by beating him with pace. Malan departed after scoring 10 runs from 9 balls. 

Munro, who looked really dangerous, was caught near the boundary by Ahmed Shahzad off a Hasnain delivery. He scored 31 runs from 20 balls, hitting three 6s and two 4s. 

Squads

Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (captain), Faheem Ashraf, Asif Ali, Luke Ronchi, Hussain Talat, Amad Butt, Musa Khan, Dale Steyn, Colin Ingram, Colin Munro, Rumman Raees, Rizwan Hussain, Phil Salt, Zafar Gohar, Akif Javed, Ahmed Safi Abdullah, Saif Badar, Dawid Malan

Quetta Gladiators: Sarfaraz Ahmed (captain), Mohammad Nawaz, Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hasnain, Ahsan Ali, Naseem Shah, Jason Roy, Ben Cutting, Fawad Ahmed, Sohail Khan, Tymal Mills, Abdul Nasir, Arish Ali Khan, Azam Khan, Keemo Paul, Khurram Manzoor, Zahid Mehmood