RAWALPINDI: Rassie van der Dussen gave his dejected side hope by making sure Lahore Qalandars had something to defend. After that, the fielders and bowlers came through, and for the eighth time this season in the HBL Pakistan Super League, the Qalandars got a victory to celebrate.
The two-time defending champions found some solace in their 18-run victory over Islamabad United on Wednesday at the Pindi Cricket Stadium. Earlier at the same venue, Karachi Kings’ victory had ended their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs, but their display left many questioning about their struggles prior to this match.
They started slowly after being put to bat and appeared to be sticking to that course early on, losing both of their openers. Nevertheless, South Africa’s Van van Dussen held firm with a 44-ball 64, enabling the Qalandars to post 162-7. Magnificent fielding efforts, particularly from Jahandad Khan, and disciplined bowling, spearheaded by Zaman Khan (4-37), allowed them to dismiss Islamabad for 145 with seven balls remaining.
With their first point coming from a washout in their most recent game, where starters Sahibazada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman returned to the dugout before the powerplay ended, Qalandars’ start reflected the season they are experiencing.
Although it was decided that Farhan was caught behind when he was still trying to get off the mark, the replays quickly revealed that there was a sizable gap between the bat and the ball. However, he left shortly after, leaving Hunain Shah as the third man.
Shai Hope’s attempt to knock Imad Wasim down the ground failed to reach Jordan Cox, who lunged, and the Qalandars were reduced to 30-3. Fakhar reached 10 but fell when Colin Munro performed a brilliant display on the square leg boundary when it looked like the ball was headed for a six.
Before being outwitted by his United opponent and having the ball strike his off-stump, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi moved up the order and went on a six-hitting rampage in a 14-ball 30, sending Agha Salman, Imad, Faheem Ashraf, and Shadab Khan over the boundary.
Not to be outdone, Sikandar Raza top-edged Faheem and keeper Azam Khan nearly reached the deep third boundary to complete the catch.
The Qalandars, who were counting on Van der Dussen to lead them to a strong finish, ended the fifteenth over at 98-5.
The South African performed admirably. Van der Dussen ramped Faheem for his third boundary and finished the over with his third six, a square cut over deep point, after Ahsan Hafeez (13) lifted the opening ball of the sixteenth over fine leg.
Soon after, Ahsan was out, trapped by Munro at the midwicket boundary, but Van van Dussen did not give up, hitting Naseem Shah for six to reach his half-century.
when two successive boundaries from the new man, David Wiese (23 not out), Van der Dussen was out for seven balls when Rumman Raees trapped him leg before wicket.
Then, Wiese struck for 11 runs in the final over, including a boundary, to help his team reach a formidable total.
Munro got things going for the chase by hitting Shaheen for two straight boundaries through cover, but Jahandad’s brilliant fielding cost United their first wicket when he caught the Englishman with his outstretched left hand as he was sprinting towards the long-on boundary.
After removing Salman by cauging him down the legside, Zaman made room for Shadab, who cleaned up after playing all over a yorker. Munro left shortly after, having been run out by Jahandad’s fiery deep throw.
On the first ball he faced, Imad hammered Wiese to the ground, but he was gone the next, giving the ball to Abdullah Shafique at slip. Then, with Jordan Cox out of the game and United down 38–6, Jahandad sprinted to take a catch off his own bowling.
It took Azam a few balls to get his eye in, but once he started swinging the bat, there didn’t seem to be any stopping him. Eventually, the powerful right-hander felt that he had taken one hit too many. After hitting two sixes and three fours in a thrilling 29, Azam was legging Ahsan out to Sikandar on the long-off boundary when he fell on the 19th ball he faced.
When Naseem hit Shaheen for two straight sixes before being cleanly bowled by his fellow Pakistani bouncer, he offered United a glimpse of optimism. He also scored a 16-ball 27 with two fours.
With a full toss, Zaman destroyed Hunain’s stumps. In the subsequent over, he flattened Faheem Ashraf (41 not out) off a tight chance.
In the penultimate over, Zaman was smashed for six over midwicket by Faheem, who then sliced him for four. United’s hopes were raised when Faheem found the extra cover boundary, but Zaman ended them when he trapped Rumman Raees leg before wicket.
