Rawalpindi: Fakhar Zaman hit a chancy century and Rashid Khan dismantled Islamabad United’s batting powerhouse with 4-21 as Lahore Qalandars inflicted a 119-run defeat on the two-time champions in the Pakistan Super League on Thursday.
Fakhar, dropped on 1 and 70, also successfully overturned a leg-before-wicket decision through television referral on 85 to smash 115 off 57 balls in Lahore’s imposing total of 226-5.
Rashid outfoxed the middle-order with his legspin and sharp googlies before Islamabad were bowled out for 107 in 15.1 overs in the biggest defeat in PSL history in terms of runs.
Multan Sultans held the previous record when they beat Quetta Gladiators by 117 runs last year.
Brilliant yorker
Fast bowler Zaman Khan (2-17) bowled brilliantly in the powerplay and picked up the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz (15) and Colin Munro (11) while David Wiese bowled a brilliant wide yorker and had Alex Hales caught behind for 18 in the eighth over before Rashid hurried through the middle-order.
Islamabad’s chase was dealt a big blow when in-form batter Azam Khan injured the ring finger of his left hand during wicketkeeping and was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays.
Both teams have already qualified for the playoffs but Lahore is certain to finish among the top two after successfully defending totals in seven of their nine league games and are on top of the table with 14 points with their last league game against Karachi Kings scheduled for Sunday.
Islamabad have 12 points and will take on Peshawar Zalmi in their last league game on Sunday and could also still finish among the top two.
Dropped chance
Asif Ali dropped a regulation catch of Fakhar in the third over before the left-hander cut loose and completed his half-century off 24 balls as Islamabad struggled to keep down the scoring rate after Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and elected to bat.
Islamabad captain Shadab Khan also couldn’t stop the flow of runs in the middle overs as he conceded 32 runs off his two overs.
Rapid stand
Fakhar shared a rapid 122-run stand with Kamran Ghulam, who made 41 off 30 balls as Faheem Ashraf (0-43) and Mohammad Wasim (1-48) returned with expensive figures.
Fakhar, who hit eight fours and eight sixes, finally exited when Wasim took a smart diving catch at deep backward square in the 18th over but Sam Billings played a little cameo of 32 to give Lahore a strong finish in the end.
