PSL 2022 day 18 round-up: Lahore down Quetta, Karachi face sixth consecutive defeat

Half-centuries from Fakhar Zaman and Kamran Ghulam helped Lahore Qalandars beat Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets in the 20th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season seven on Sunday.

After Abdullah Shafique departed for 19, the two top-order batters made light work of Quetta Gladiators' 144-run target and achieved it with eight wickets and 14 balls to spare.

Earlier, a fiery opening spell from Shaheen Afridi pushed Quetta on the back foot. Afridi claimed two big wickets of Jason Roy and James Vince in the first over, as both batters departed without troubling the scorers. The next three wickets of Ahsan Ali (8), Sarfaraz Ahmed (12), and Umar Akmal (25) also fell early to add to Quetta’s miseries.

Iftikhar Ahmed (52), and Hassan Khan (17) put up a 52-run stand for the sixth wicket, followed by a brief cameo from Noor Ahmed (13) to post 141/7 on the board.

Peshawar thump Karachi

In the first match of the day, disciplined Peshawar Zalmi handed clueless Karachi Kings their sixth defeat of the tournament to effectively knock them out of the playoffs race.

Chasing a 194-run target, Karachi were restricted to 138/6 in their 20 overs, despite Babar Azam's 46-ball 59.

Batting first, Hazratullah Zazai's quickfire 52 and a 27-ball 49 from debutant Mohammad Haris provided Peshawar a flying start to the innings.

Liam Livingstone (6) departed early, but Shoaib Malik (31) and Ben Cutting (26) launched an onslaught in the latter part of the innings to take the total to 193/6.

With a massive target on the board, Karachi Kings made a slow start to their innings. The early loss of Sharjeel Khan (14) furthered hampered their run chase. Babar Azam's 59 and Joe Clarke's run-a-ball 24 added 60 runs for the second wicket, but the slow nature of the partnership mounted up the required run rate.

Consequently, Karachi lost more wickets when trying to meet the required run rate and ended up scoring 138/6 after 20 overs, handing Peshawar a massive 55-run win.

PSL 2022 day 17 round-up: Sarfaraz’s late flurry leads Quetta to a dramatic win

Points Table Update

The win gives Peshawar Zalmi two valuable points, taking their total to six. Although it does not change their position, which is fifth in the points table, it reduces the gap between them and the fourth-placed Quetta Gladiators.

Meanwhile, Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars are placed first and second in the points table with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Islamabad United are placed third with six points, followed by Quetta and Peshawar in the fourth and fifth places.

Karachi Kings are reeling at the bottom of the table with six losses on the trot.

Next fixtures

There is only one match scheduled for Monday; between Karachi Kings and Islamabad United. The match, to be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, will start at 7:30 pm.

Past PSL Winners

PSL 2016 – Islamabad United

PSL 2017 – Peshawar Zalmi

PSL 2018 – Islamabad United

PSL 2019 – Quetta Gladiators

PSL 2020 – Karachi Kings

PSL 2021 – Multan Sultans