Pakistan Super League: Islamabad defeats Quetta by 6 wickets

In the Pakistan Super League on Tuesday, all-rounder Faheem Ashraf and Paul Stirling starred in Islamabad United’s emphatic six-wicket triumph over the winless Quetta Gladiators.

Quetta was reduced to 156-7 thanks to fast bowler Ashraf’s 3-11, and Stirling smashed 56 off 33 balls as Islamabad cruised to 157-4 with three balls to spare.

The match was rescheduled for Tuesday after Islamabad’s legspinner Fawad Ahmed tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. Two more foreign cricketers, including one unidentified Islamabad player, tested positive Tuesday before the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to go ahead with the country’s premier Twenty20 tournament.

Quetta’s fourth consecutive toss defeat followed a pattern in which teams trailing have won all 12 preliminary round matches, with all six captains deciding to field first after winning the toss.

After the fourth round matches, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad, and Lahore Qalandars have a three-way tie atop the leaderboard, each having won three of their four games.

Sarfaraz Ahmed (54) of Quetta hit his second straight half-century, which included four consecutive sixes off-spinner, Iftikhar Ahmed.

Quick bowlers Hasan Ali (2-23) and Ashraf picked up four wickets in the first six overs of Quetta’s batting powerplay, giving Islamabad the upper hand.

Ashraf sent Cameron Delport’s off-stump cartwheeling off his first delivery before trapping Sarfaraz’s leg before wicket in his return spell as Quetta could score only one six and a four in their last seven overs.

As Quetta scored just one six and a four in their final seven innings, Ashraf sent Cameron Delport’s off-stump cartwheeling with his first delivery before catching Sarfaraz’s leg before wicket in his return spell.

Within the first three overs, Stirling had taken the game away from Quetta by pushing the total to 44-0. After bashing left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz for two boundaries and a six in the first over, the prolific Irish batsman hammered South Africa’s Dale Steyn for four boundaries in one over.