Jason Holder’s four-wicket haul led defending champions Islamabad United to an eight-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in the opening match of the HBL PSL X at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday evening. This was also West Indies’ fast bowler debut game in the HBL Pakistan Super League.
After being put into bat, two-time champions Qalandars were dismissed for 139 in 19.2 overs. Only four batters – Abdullah Shafique (66, 38b, 6x4s, 3x6s), Sikandar Raza (23, 21b, 3x4s, 1×6), Daryl Mitchell (13, 14b, 2x4s) and Haris Rauf (10, 10b, 2x4s) – managed to reach double figures.
Qalandars lost half of their side in the 14th over with just 93 runs on the board. Right-handed batter Abdullah Shafique stitched a 35-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Zimbabwe’s international Sikandar.
For United, Holder ended up taking four wickets for 26. He was equally supported by captain Shadab Khan, who took three for 25 from 3.2 overs.
In turn, chasing 140 runs to win, Islamabad United got off to cautious start, scoring just 37 runs in the powerplay and losing Andries Gous (4, 6b, 1×4) to Asif Afridi. New Zealand’s Colin Munro and Pakistan’s international Sahibzada Farhan got together in the second over with eight runs on the board. The pair stitched a 55-run partnership for the second wicket before right-handed batter Sahibzada (25, 24b, 3x6s) was dismissed in the ninth over with Sikandar taking a diving catch off Haris Rauf’s bowling.
At the halfway stage, United were 69 for two, needing 71 more runs to win. At that juncture of the game, Munro and Pakistan’s T20I captain Salman Ali Agha ensured there were no further hiccups, guiding United to win with 14 balls to spare.
Munro returned undefeated on 59 off 42 balls, which included seven fours and a six, while Salman scored an unbeaten 34-ball 41, smashing three fours and a six.
For Qalandars, Asif Afridi and Haris snapped a wicket each.