Defending champion Lahore Qalandars get first win in PSL

Two-time defending champion Lahore Qalandars finally recorded their first win this season the Pakistan Super League (PSL) as they beat Islamabad United by 17 runs on Wednesday night.

Data-driven Islamabad, which prefers to chase, was bowled out for 145 with fast bowler Zaman Khan claiming 4-37 and Lahore fielders making some smart catches in the outfield.

Rassie van der Dussen (64) had earlier anchored Lahore to 162-7 with his fourth score of 50-plus this season before he was due to return back home and will miss Lahore’s last two league games.

Jahandad Khan made a spectacular one-handed running catch at mid-off to dismiss Alex Hales for zero in the first over of Shaheen Shah Afridi (2-32) and the batting power-house of Islamabad collapsed to 73-7 against pace midway through their run-chase.

Faheem Ashraf hit an unbeaten 41 while Azam Khan (29) and Naseem Shah (27) also played little cameos to narrow down the defeat before Zaman wrapped up the game and had No. 11 Rumman Raees trapped leg before wicket with a yorker in the penultimate over.

David Wiese, who sustained a groin injury in the first game, returned to the Lahore fold and upped the ante in the death overs with a brisk unbeaten 24 off 11 balls as skipper Shadab Khan used seven bowlers and only off-spinner Salman Ali Agha was not among the wickets.

Islamabad has seven points from eight games while Lahore have three with two games in hand.

Associated Press