Defending champions Lahore Qalandars have started the ninth season of Pakistan Super League with two consecutive defeats, while on the other hand, Quetta Gladiators have won their second match in a row.
Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by five wickets thanks to the brilliant innings of young batsman Khawaja Nafi in the match played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Monday night.
Earlier, Lahore Qalandars have also lost against Islamabad United while Quetta Gladiators won their first match against Peshawar Zalmi.
Quetta Gladiators started the innings in pursuit of the target and once again Saud Shakeel and Jason Roy gave the team a good start. But after both of them got out, the young Khawaja Nafi stayed at the crease but wickets kept falling from the other side.
In such a situation, Khawaja Nafi took the responsibility on his shoulders and carried it out in a vigorous manner.
When Khawaja Nafee was batting, even the counters could not help praising him. He said that the manner in which Nafi is rotating strikes on big hits and good balls when required, does not seem like a young player from anywhere.
Khawaja Nafee also played big shots off the bowling of Shaheen Afrid and Haris Rauf while also avoiding unnecessary shots on their good balls.
He played an unbeaten innings of 60 runs off just 31 balls with the help of three sixes and four fours. Speaking at the end of the match, former Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmed said that he was summoned after watching videos of Khawaja Nafi on Facebook.
Sarfaraz Ahmed further said that Khawaja Nafee has not played domestic cricket, but he must have been a part of BPL.
In the innings of Lahore Qalandars, Jahan Dad was just Jahan Dad, who played an innings of 45 runs off just 17 balls and played an important role in taking his team’s score to 187 runs.
Jahan Dad’s innings was also outstanding because he played it in a difficult situation against quality bowlers.
Difficult situation because Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi won the toss and decided to bat first, then Fakhar Zaman returned to the pavilion after scoring only six runs.
After this van der Dusen 15 and Abdullah Shafiq could only score 11 runs.
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In such a situation, captain Shaheen Afridi suddenly sent Jahan Dad Khan to support Sahibzada Farhan.
Jehan Dad also justified his captain’s decision. Sahabzada Farhan played a good innings and scored 62 runs off 43 balls with the help of three sixes and six fours.
After his dismissal, Sikandar Raza and Jahan Dad formed an important partnership for Lahore Qalandars. Sikandar Raza was dismissed for 18 runs.
But Jehan Dad played an aggressive unbeaten innings of 45 runs with the help of four sixes and three fours.
Speaking at the end of the innings, he said that captain Shaheen Afridi had come to him and told him that he should play at the top number.
Jahan Dad, who started his first-class career last year, also had a special innings as he scored against bowlers like Aqeel Hussain, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Abrar Ahmed.
On behalf of Quetta Gladiators, Aqeel Hussain and Muhammad Hasnain took two wickets each, while Muhammad Amir, Muhammad Wasim Jr. and Abrar Ahmed took one wicket each.
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2024-07-29 13:22:02
