Dubai: Islamabad United recorded a thrilling one-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in front of the Lahore fans at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night.
Lahore’s Mohammad Hafeez’s unbeaten 98 off just 57 balls studded with seven boundaries and seven sixes and Shaheen Afridi’s fine spell of 4-18 went in vain as Islamabad won the match with just one ball to spare.
Put into bat by Islamabad, Lahore openers put on 22 runs in 2.2 overs before Mohammad Musa had Chris Lynn caught at point by Amad Butt for 11. Fakhar Zaman and Hafeez put on 67 runs for the second wicket before Zaman got bowled by Shadab Khan for 33.
Lahore skipper Sohail Akhtar scored just one run and fell to Saif Abdullah when he hit in the air to Colin Ingram in the cover. Using Samit Patel (10) and Davide Wiese (19), Hafeez swelled the total through some brilliant shots. Though Hafeez hit the fourth ball off the last over for a six, he could get only a single off the next ball and failed to reach his century.
Chasing the total, Islamabad got off to a bad start losing openers Luke Ronchi for 1 and Colin Munro for 2. Dawid Malan and Shadab Khan steadied the innings through a 60-run partnership. Khan played a match-wining captain’s knock of 52 off 29 balls with three boundaries and four sixes. Colin Ingram chipped in with 30 runs.
In the last over Islamabad needed nine runs. Usman Shinwari hit Musa for a six over mid-wicket off the first ball to the disappointment of the home crowd and won the match off a single off the fifth ball.
Brief scores
Islamabad United bt Lahore Qalandars by one wkt.
Lahore 182 for 6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 98n.o, Fakhar Zaman 33, Shadab Khan 2 for 14)
Islamabad United 183/9 in 19.5 overs (Shadab Khan 52, Colin Ingram 30; Shaheen Afridi 4 for 18) Man of the match: Shadab Khan
