Sharjah: It was nothing but a run riot at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Quetta Gladiators chased down Lahore Qalandar’s mammoth total of 200 for 3 in 20 overs to win by five wickets with seven balls to spare.

Kevin Pietersen, who walked in with scores of 3, 0 and 0 in the last three matches displayed how destructive he is as a batsman through a whirlwind unbeaten 88 off just 42 balls with three boundaries and eight sixes.

With his skipper Sarfraz Ahmad, Pietersen put on 101 runs in 7.3 overs. Sarfraz too showed how aggressive a batsman he is through a breezy 45 off 25 balls with three boundaries and three sixes. They both massacred the Lahore bowlers. When asked about his knock, Pietersen who was rightly adjudged man of the match said: “It was not bad, especially after two first-ballers. It was a thrilling game and we were able to entertain the crowd.”

Pietersen and Sarfraz literally wiped away the glitter from Lahore’s fine batting performance. After their opener Jason Roy (51) and Fakhar Zaman (47) laid the foundation for a big score, Mohammad Rizwan through an unbeaten 46 off 28 balls with one boundary and four sixes and Cameron Delport with an unbeaten 35 off 21 balls with three sixes and one boundary put on 77 runs in 6.5 overs to ensure Lahore a total of200.

Unfortunately for Lahore, that total was not sufficient to stop an out-of-form Pietersen, who batted with a vengeance to prove his critics wrong.

Quetta won the toss and elected to bowl. Lahore openers Jason Roy and Fakhar Zaman gave Lahore a breezy start by putting on 77 runs in 6.1 overs. Roy batted aggressively to reach his half century in 24 balls. His knock ended when left-arm spinner Hasan Khan hit his off stump with a faster delivery.

Roy’s knock of 51 from 27 balls contained three sixes and six boundaries.

Umar Akmal joined Zaman. While Zaman picked two boundaries off Mohammad Mahmudullah, Akmal hit Hasan for a six over the covers. By the 10th over, Lahore were 103 for 1.

Hasan also ended Akmal’s innings by forcing him miscue his shot to Mahmudullah for 17. Zaman fresh from his knock of 56 against Karachi Kings last Thursday, played some brilliant shots. Zulfiqar Babar stopped Zaman from scoring his half century by just three runs with a well tossed up delivery. Zaman hit the delivery to Ahmad Shehzad at deep mid-wicket. His 47 runs off 31 ball contained six fours and one six.

Next man Mohammad Rizwan lifted Mohammad Nawaz for a straight six. By the 15th over Lahore were 135 for 3. Meanwhile, Cameron Delport hit Nawaz for a boundary and a six off successive balls. Delport also swung Thisara Perera into the stands for another six to bring in their 50 runs partnership. He fetched his third six over bowler Anwar Ali’s head.

In the last over of the innings from Perera, Rizwan hit his fourth six of the innings over mid-wicket and ensure Lahore reach the 200 run mark

Chasing a run rate of 10 runs per over Quetta needed a good start. Ahmad Shehzad opened the innings with a new partner in Sa’ad Nasim. Sohail Tanvir had Nasim top edge a pull to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 5. An out of form Kevin Pietersen joined Shehzad. In the fifth over, Mohammad Irfan made Shehzad play on to his stumps for 15.

Next man in, Rilee Rossouw began with two consecutive boundaries off Irfan and would have fallen to the third ball had Sunil Narine held on to the slashed shot at third man. Pietersen and Rossouw went for their shots. They hit Bilawal Bhatti for 16 runs in one over. Pietersen lifted Narine for a six over long on and also played a powerful straight drive off Yasir Shah.

Rossouw also hit Shah out of the ground but fell in the 10th over to Irfan for 33 runs caught by Bhatti at long off. The pair put on 57 runs in five overs.

Sarfraz then joined Pietersen and the duo proceeded to hammer the Lahore attack.

Brief scores:

Lahore Qalandars 200 for 3 in 20 overs. (Jason Roy 51, Fakhar Zaman 47, Mohammad Rizwan 46n.o, Cameron Delport 35n.o, Hasan Khan 2 for 28) Quetta Gladiators 202 for 5 in 18.5 overs (Kevin Pietersen 88n.o, Rilee Rossouw 33, Sarfraz Ahmad 45, Sohail Tanvir 2 for 47, Mohammad Irfan 2 for 48). Man of the match: Kevin Pietersen.