Lahore Qalandars Edge Thriller Against Hampshire Hawks

The fourth match of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) unfolded under bright sunshine in Providence, Guyana, witnessing a tense encounter between the Lahore Qalandars and the Hampshire Hawks. The Qalandars emerged victorious after a thrilling finish, snatching a four-run win.

Winning the toss, Qalandars captain Carlos Brathwaite opted to bat first. However, Hampshire’s bowlers put the Pakistani side under pressure from the outset.

Mirza Baig was dismissed in the second over by Danny Briggs’ wily left-arm spin, while opening partner Adam Rossington provided some resistance. But when Rossington fell for a laboured 30 off 29 deliveries, Qalandars found themselves struggling at 37-3 off eight overs.

Hampshire maintained a disciplined bowling effort throughout the innings, denying the Qalandars easy runs or the freedom to find the boundary with regularity.

It was a crucial lower-order partnership that proved decisive for the Qalandars. Player of the Match Luke Wells (35 off 24) and Muhammad Akhlaq (23 off 12) launched a counter-attack, smashing crucial boundaries in the later overs. Akhlaq delivered a brutal assault on James Fuller, smashing three sixes in a single over, injecting momentum back into the Qalandars’ innings.

In response, Hampshire struggled to gain a foothold. They reached 50 after ten overs, leaving them with a mounting required run rate.

Asif Afridi’s left-arm spin proved particularly effective, conceding just 16 runs in his four overs. The Hawks struggled to rotate the strike, leading to a dramatic rise in the required run rate. With three overs remaining, they needed a daunting 36 runs for victory.

The pressure intensified as Ashraf held onto a breathtaking catch, diving low to his right to dismiss the dangerous-looking Howell. Liam Dawson then fell short attempting a quick single, run out in a combined effort between Brathwaite and Shamsi.

Chris Wood provided a glimmer of hope for Hampshire, smashing a six off the final delivery of the penultimate over to leave his side needing 21 runs from the last six balls.

Captain Brathwaite stepped up to bowl the final over for the Qalandars. He kept his cool under pressure. Hampshire’s Chris Wood, who had taken the innings to the final over, was run out in similar genug fashion to Dawson, attempting a risky single, further escalating the tension.

With two successive sixes off Brathwaite, Fuller nearly pulled off the unthinkable, bringing the target within striking distance. The second six was controversially close to being called a waist-high no-ball, adding to the drama.

In the end, though, Brathwaite held his nerve, delivering a perfect yorker to secure the victory for the Qalandars.

Both teams now stand with one win and one loss in the evenly matched GSL table.

Who won the match between the Lahore Qalandars and​ the Hampshire ⁤Hawks⁣ in the ⁤ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League?

## Global Super League: Thrills and⁤ Spills in Providence

**Interviewer:** Joining us today is Alex Reed, cricket analyst, to discuss the thrilling encounter⁣ between the Lahore Qalandars and the Hampshire Hawks⁢ in the ExxonMobil ⁤Guyana Global ​Super League. Welcome to the show!

**Alex Reed:** Thanks​ for⁤ having me! ⁤It was a fantastic match, full of twists and turns.

**Interviewer:**‍ ​Indeed! The Lahore Qalandars emerged victorious by a⁣ mere four runs. Can you tell us a bit⁣ about how the⁢ match unfolded?

**Alex Reed:** The Qalandars won the toss and ‍elected to bat first. Hampshire’s bowlers came out strong, putting pressure‍ on the Pakistani⁤ side right ⁢from the outset. They lost⁤ early wickets, including Mirza Baig in the second over. Adam Rossington showed some⁢ resistance, ⁤but Hampshire kept the run rate in check.

**Interviewer:**⁢ So,‌ it seemed like Hampshire had the upper hand‍ for much ⁤of the innings?

**Alex Reed:** You ⁣could say that. Hampshire‌ bowled ⁢with discipline, ‍denying the Qalandars easy boundaries. It looked like ​they might restrict them to a low total.

**Alex Reed:** That’s where the ⁣match turned. Luke ⁢Wells and Muhammad Akhlaq, batting lower down the order,‌ launched a‌ counter-attack. Their partnership was⁤ crucial, providing the ‍late runs ⁢that ultimately proved decisive for the Qalandars.

**Interviewer:** Amazing comeback! Luke ‌Wells was ⁣named Player of the Match. What ‌made ⁢his contribution so important?

**Alex Reed:** Wells played a fantastic innings, scoring ‍35 runs off ‍just 24 balls. His aggressive strokeplay and ability to find boundaries ​put ‍Hampshire under pressure at a crucial ‍stage. He really ⁤swung​ the momentum back in favor of the Qalandars.

**Interviewer:** It sounds like a tremendously exciting ⁢match. What⁤ are your thoughts on how⁤ the rest of the Global​ Super League will unfold?

**Alex Reed:** This early match ⁢has​ set the tone ‌for what promises to be a fiercely competitive tournament. ​Teams like ​the Lahore Qalandars have ⁣shown they are ⁢capable of fighting back from difficult positions, while Hampshire’s bowling attack⁢ proved their strength. ⁢I expect many more thrilling⁣ encounters as the competition heats up.

**Interviewer:** ​ Thanks for sharing your insights ‌with us today, Alex Reed. We look⁣ forward to seeing how the rest of the‍ Global Super‍ League plays out.