Islamabad United’s Cameron Delport’s unbeaten quick-fire fastest century and Faheem Ashraf's six-wicket haul scripted a massive 49 runs win against Lahore Qalandars at the first Pakistan Super League season 4 match held at the National Stadium.
United have qualified for the playoffs.
The defending champions posted record 238 runs total courtesy Delport’s 117 runs off 60 balls with 13 boundaries and six sixes. Meanwhile, Asif Ali equaled Peshawar Zalmi’s Kamran Akmal’s record of the fastest half-century on 17 balls.
All-rounder Faheem Ashraf with six-wicket haul off 18 runs halted Qalandars’ momentum at important intervals of the game. He is now the highest wicket-taker of the season - replacing Peshawar Zalmi's Hasan Ali.
Chadwick Walton with his 48 off 30 assisted Delport during the innings.
Sandeep Lamichhane was the next one to give a super breakthrough with the wicket of Philip Salt as the batsman gave the wicket in his attempt to hit over the covers. The wicket came after a run fest by Cameron Delport in the second over of the game against Rahat Ali.
But then Delport with his fine batting display left no option for the bowlers than to see boundaries being poured out all over the stadium.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, the lead pace attacker got hit for 62 runs with one wicket in his four-over quota, while leg spinner Lamichhane bagged 46 runs.
David Wiese took one wicket off 44 balls.
United scored 70 runs in the batting power play - it's the third highest powerplay score in the history of the PSL.
The Qalandars, except Sohail Akhtar with his 75 off 34, failed again in the batting department in a stadium being criticized for having too short boundaries.
Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi are already through to the playoffs. The third and fourth positions are up for grabs for defending champions Islamabad United, home team Karachi Kings, and the fifth-placed Lahore Qalandars. Multan Sultans are already out.
Rumman Raees and Shadab Khan took one-wicket each in the match.
For Lahore Qalandars, things are not simple anymore. They have now only 6 points from their three victories so far in the tournament, their qualification to the playoffs now depend on whether Karachi Kings are defeated in their next games and on the NRR comparison.
The Mohammad Sami-led team has now five wins and five losses from its ten matches.
