PSL 2022 – Match 28 (Quetta Gladiators vs Karachi Kings)
Quetta Gladiators defeated Karachi Kings by 23 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in the 28th match of the PSL 2022.
Quetta Gladiators batted first and rallied around Jason Roy’s 82 off 64 balls, including 11 fours, to reach 166 for four. In response, Karachi Kings stuttered to 143 for eight after an 87-run start in 10.5 overs with Babar Azam (36 off 34 balls with three fours and a six) and Joe Clarke (52 off 39 balls with four fours and two sixes).
Quetta Gladiators have won four of their ten matches, putting them in eighth place with Islamabad United. Before their most recent play, Islamabad United had a net run rate of 0.101, while Quetta Gladiators finished their league encounter with a net run rate of -0.708.
While the match between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United on Sunday will determine the fourth team to qualify for the playoffs, the encounter between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi on Monday will decide which teams will compete in the Qualifier and Eliminator 1 on February 23 and 24.
Scoreboard:
Quetta Gladiators – 166/4 (20)
Karachi Kings – 143/8 (20)
Result – Quetta Gladiators won by 23 runs
Player of the match – Khurram Shahzad
PSL 2022 – Match 29 (Multan Sultans vs Islamabad United)
Multan Sultans delivered yet another outstanding all-around performance to end the PSL 2022 double-league round-robin round with a remarkable nine wins out of ten matches (most for any teams in the group stage in PSL). Sultans trounced Islamabad United on Sunday night by six wickets in front of Gaddafi Stadium. Despite their defeat, United, the 2016 and 2018 winners, confirmed their playoff position.
United won the toss and elected to bat first, but their players failed to live up to skipper Asif Ali’s decision on a sluggish pitch.
United had to field a primarily inexperienced team due to a slew of recent injuries. Mohammad Huraira (2), a debutant, was the first to go. With the total at 36, Liam Dawson hit 22 off 11 balls (five fours), but his departure precipitated a collapse. The Sultans pressed the United middle and lower order, reducing them from 36 for one to 77 for seven.
In the middle overs, the Sultans’ spinning combination of Asif Afridi and Imran Tahir (player of the match) maintained their dominance. Imran, a seasoned pitcher, threw a fantastic and miserly 4-0-8-2 spell. In his four overs, Asif took two for 21. Musa Khan, a pacer, top-scored for United with 26 runs (21 balls, two fours, and two sixes). They have the lowest team total in the PSL 2022, with 105 for seven.
The PSL 7 playoffs will feature Sultans, Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, and United. On Wednesday, Sultans will face either Qalandars or Zalmi in the Qualifier. Qalandars are the favourites to finish second, but a massive loss against Zalmi in their final group encounter tomorrow might send them to 3rd and Zalmi to 2nd.
On Thursday, United will face Qalandars or Zalmi in Eliminator 1.
Scoreboard:
Multan Sultans – 111/4 (17.2)
Islamabad United – 105/7 (20)
Result – Multan Sultans won by 6 wickets
Player of the match – Imran Tahir
IND vs WI (3rd T20I)
After winning the match by 17 runs, India’s middle order and bowlers in the closing overs worked superbly to shut out West Indies and clinch the series 3-0. The toss was won by Kieron Pollard, who chose to bowl first.
The hosts didn’t get off to a good start, as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan struggled to get going. They struggled until Suryakumar Yadav, and Venkatesh Iyer came together and hammered 86 runs in the final five overs.
In the powerplay, West Indies again lost a couple of wickets. Despite the brilliance of Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell, the visitors were never able to put together significant partnerships. India’s bowling was outstanding in the death overs, and Shardul Thakur conceded only 11 runs in his ten deliveries on the remaining three overs.
The match was won by Rohit Sharma and his team by 17 runs. India has completed a 6-0 series sweep of the West Indies across all formats and will now welcome Sri Lanka for a T20I series in Lucknow beginning February 24, 2022.
Scoreboard:
India – 184/5 (20)
West Indies – 167/9 (20)
Result – India won by 17 runs
Player of the match – Suryakumar Yadav