LAHORE: Hasan Nawaz and Shamyl Hussain struck half-centuries, while Abrar Ahmed starred with the ball taking key wickets as Quetta Gladiators opened their account in HBL Pakistan Super League 11 with a 40-run win over Hyderabad Kingsmen here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Gladiators successfully defended their 174-8 total by restricting Hyderabad Kingsmen to 134-8 in 20 overs.
Hyderabad suffered two early setbacks as Alzarri Joseph dismissed Saim Ayub for eight in the first over and Abrar Ahmed removed Maaz Sadaqat for naught in the next. Usman Khan also fell to Abrar in the sixth over after making 14, leaving Hyderabad struggling at 35 for three. Usman Tariq removed Syed Saad Ali on the last ball of the ninth over and skipper Marnus Labuschagne fell to Saud Shakeel four deliveries later for 23 with Hyderabad reeling at 57 for five in 9.4 overs.
Hassan Khan then offered some resistance with a 19-ball 31, striking three fours and a six during a 48-run sixth-wicket stand with Muhammad Irfan Khan (33, 25b, 2x4s, 3x6s).
Once Hassan was dismissed by Ahmed Daniyal in the 15th over, Hyderabad lost their way and finished on 134 for eight in 20 overs. Abrar led the charge with three for 23 in four overs and Daniyal returned two for 13.
Earlier, Kingsmen struck twice in first 20 deliveries with Meredith removing Saud and Rilee Rossouw with 25 runs on the board.
At this juncture, Hasan joined Shamyl to rebuild the innings with an 89-run stand for the third wicket. The pair collected 15 runs off Akif Javed in the sixth over to take Quetta to 45 for two at the end of the power play.
Hasan then shifted gears, launching Hassan Khan for a straight six in the ninth over before dispatching a Labuschagne full toss for another maximum to move Quetta to 78 for two at the halfway mark.
Shamyl followed suit in the 12th over, striking Hassan for two sixes – one over wide long- on and the other straight down the ground as he ransacked 18 runs off the 12th over.
Hasan kept the momentum going with another six off Saim, but Quetta’s progress was checked when Meredith returned in the following over to claim his third wicket as Shamyl (54, 41b, 3x4s, 3x6s) departed.
Hasan, who brought up his 10th T20 half-century and also 2,000 T20 runs, was run out for 53 off 40 balls.
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