In a thrilling Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 encounter, Quetta Gladiators beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by 40 runs at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. Chasing a target of 175, the Kingsmen’s batting lineup crumbled under pressure, finishing at 134-8 in their 20 overs.
The Kingsmen’s chase got off to a disastrous start. Saim Ayub hit two early fours but fell to a sharp bouncer from Alzarri Joseph. In the very next over, Abrar Ahmed dismissed Maaz Sadaqat for a duck, leaving the side reeling at 17-2.
Abrar struck again during the power play, removing Usman Khan for 14. Although Saad Ali and Marnus Labuschagne tried to stabilise the innings, the introduction of spinner Usman Tariq broke their resistance.
Skipper Saud Shakeel then chipped in with the ball, claiming the key wicket of Labuschagne for 23. A 48-run partnership between Irfan Khan Niazi and Hassan Khan offered brief hope, but Ahmed Daniyal’s dismissal of Hassan (31 off 19) turned the tide. Abrar later claimed his third wicket to seal the Gladiators’ dominant bowling display.
Earlier, after being put into bat, the Gladiators posted 174-8. Opener and captain Saud Shakeel started positively, but Riley Meredith’s pace proved challenging. Meredith dismissed Saud and later removed Rilee Rossouw for a duck, putting the Kingsmen in control.
However, Shamyl Hussain (54 off 41) and Hassan Nawaz built a crucial 89-run partnership to steady the innings. Hassan went on to score his fourth PSL fifty, showcasing his growing consistency in the tournament.
Just as the Gladiators looked set for a massive total, Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana turned the game in the 15th over. He dismissed Khawaja Nafay and wicketkeeper Ben McDermott in quick succession. Tom Curran provided late fireworks with a quickfire 31, helping his team cross the 150-run mark. Riley Meredith was the standout bowler for Hyderabad, finishing with figures of 3/38
