Quetta Gladiators seal Qualifying Final berth

Barnaby Read 23:31 23/02/2017
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  • Quetta extended their lead in top spot.

    Quetta Gladiators gave themselves clear daylight at the top of the Pakistan Super League table on Thursday night, with a comfortable six-wicket win over Karachi Kings.

    The win means Quetta are now three points better off than Lahore Qalandars in second-place and are now guaranteed of a Qualifying final berth, with each team having played six matches and two more to go.

    After the tournament’s two-day breather, and a dramatic week in Sharjah, the PSL circus came back to Dubai and was welcomed by a healthy crowd for a Thursday night in the emirate.

    Karachi Kings went into the match on the back of two wins out of two, which marked a much needed turnaround in their fortunes although they remained bottom at the start of play.

    It was a different story for Quetta who were hoping to maintain their position at the top of the pile as the tournament’s early pace setters.

    And it was Quetta who carried on the tradition of the toss winners opting to field first, a decision that looked as vindicated as it was predictable.

    Karachi did manage to get starts but were guilty of not progressing the score at a quick enough rate to truly test Quetta.

    Star man Chris Gayle was the most notable example, his 29 coming off 34 balls at a strike-rate of 85.29, his second lowest in T20s when he has faced more than 30 balls.

    Karachi Kings vs Quetta Gladiators

    • Karachi Kings 154-6
    • Babar (36); Mahmudulluh (3-21)
    • Quetta Gladiators
    • Shehzad (54); Sohail (2-28)

    For someone as devastating as Gayle, it was laboured viewing and but for fellow West Indian Kieron Pollard’s brisk 31 from 19 their total would have been even further below par.

    Mahmudullah (3-21) was the pick of the Quetta bowlers, Anwar Ali also taking 2-30 as Karachi posted 154-6, a total that looked a little light.

    Opening Quetta pair Asad Shafiq and Ahmed Shehzad certainly made it seem that way when racing to 94-0 at the halfway stage and the target reduced to just a run-a-ball.

    They were coasting until the 13th over when first Shehzad (51) fell to Sohail Khan, then Kevin Pietersen (0) was run-out without facing a ball and Shafiq (51) hauled out to Mohammad Amir.

    But Karachi were unable to make the kind of inroads necessary for victory and remain rock bottom of the table, Quetta flying high at the other end.

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