BIG NEWS
PSL: Lahore Qalandars reach the final
After smashing 27 runs from the final over, David Weise also shined with the bowl to defend 8 runs from the last over.
Lahore Qalandars have qualified for the Final match against Multan Sultans with this unbelievable win.
Lahore Qalandars 20 overs 168-7
Shafique 52 (28) Dawson 2-24 Ghulam 30 (26) Wasim 2-25 Wiese 28*(8) Shadab 1-27
Islamabad United 19.4 overs 162 all-out
Azam 40 (28. Rauf 2-31 Hales 38 (29) Shaheen 2-32 Asif 25 (22) Zaman 2-32
Lahore Qalandars stunned Islamabad United with this miraculous victory by 6 runs.
The match was in Islamabad’s hand for most of the time but Lahore bowlers held their nerve in the death overs to defend the total.
After losing 4 early wickets, the partnership between Azam Khan and Alex Hales made the chase look so easy.
Abdullah Shafique scored a brilliant half-century early on before the middle-order of Lahore Qalandars failed once again.
Lahore was 7 down on 141 in 19 overs before the unbelievable hitting from David Wiese fashioned Lahore Qalandars into the Final match.
Islamabad started very poorly as they lost their 4 wickets in no time but Azam Khan and Alex Hales joined to almost took the game away from the hands of Islamabad.
8 runs were needed from the last over and David Wiese defended it brilliantly without even conceding a run.
Abdullah Shafique’s fifty
Lahore lost their main batter, Fakhar Zaman, in the first over and they were 2 down on 7 runs in 3 overs.
But Abdullah Shafique played an excellent knock to drag his side out of trouble.
He shared a 73 runs stand with Kamran Ghulam.
The outstanding half-century from Shafique brought Lahore back into the contest.
He scored 52 runs from just 28 deliveries including 4 fours and 3 sixes.
Lahore lost their path in the middle as again a lot of wickets have fallen in that period.
Lahore was struggling on 141-7 at the end of 19 overs and they were eyeing on Waqas Maqsood to bowl the final over of the game and block some runs.
Weise heroics
David Weise just destroyed Waqas Mahmood in the final over with his excellent batting performance.
He smashed 27 runs from the last over including 3 sixes and a four to give Qalandars a good total on the board.
David Weise was also brilliant with the ball. He defended 8 runs from the final over and was also awarded Player of the Match award for his outstanding performance.
Azam and Hales saved Islamabad
After losing 4 wickets on 46 runs, Islamabad was struggling badly in their chase but Azam Khan and Alex Hales brought them back into the contest with an incredible partnership.
Both of them attacked the Qalandars bowling and scored regular boundaries.
Azam Khan was playing superbly and he almost took the game away from the opposition single handedly.
He was well supported by Alex Hales who scored 38 runs.
Qalandars comeback
Lahore Qalandars suddenly made a great comeback after the run-out of Azam Khan.
They became more energetic in the field.
Haris Rauf dismissed Hales to make things more interesting.
Asif Ali was the only threat for Lahore who smashed a six in the 19th over but on the last ball of that over, Rauf while trying to finish the game in style got caught out to leave Islamabad in control.
Last over drama
8 runs were needed from the last over and there was also some rain but the umpires allowed the game continue.
Wasim didn’t get a single on the first 2 deliveries because he wants a strike but He got run-out on the 3rd delivery.
Waqas Maqsood almost hit a six but unfortunately, he was caught out at the boundary.
So, Lahore registered a victory in the Eliminator 2 to Qualify for the final match.