RAWALPINDI: Defending champions Islamabad United’s downward spiral in their ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League campaign continued on Wednesday as Quetta Gladiators subjected them to a 109-run rout.
Gladiators, riding on blistering centuries by Rilee Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz, posted a mammoth 263-3 — the highest score ever in a PSL match — before United were bundled out for 154.
It was United’s fourth defeat in a row after they had gone on to win the first five matches this season. Gladiators, who had already qualified for the playoffs, strengthened their claim as the favourites to take the title.
They had run riot with that bat, thanks to Rossouw’s 104 off 46 (14 fours and six sixes) and Hasan Nawaz’s 100 off 45 (four fours and nine sixes).
Gladiators cruised to 63-2 in the powerplay with skipper Saud Shakeel and first-drop Rilee Rossouw fighting back after Finn Allen’s early run-out. Rossouw, who had hit three outrageous sixes amid the field restrictions, to add 26 off 12 in the period, went on to continue his fireworks.
The South African hit two more boundaries before getting down on one knee and pulverising Imad Wasim’s left-arm spin deep midwicket for a six to bring up his first half century of the season in 26 balls as Gladiators posted 103-2 by halfway stage.
Rossouw plundered 21 runs off Mohammad Nawaz in the 12th over, clearing deep square twice for sixes. He hit three boundaries in the next over as Gladiators crossed the 150-run mark.
The left-hander showed his leg-side prowess again in the 15th, bringing up his century — his third PSL ton — in only 44 balls, before holing Imad out to Jason Holder at long-on.
On the other end, meanwhile, Hasan Nawaz had powered three sixes and as many fours by that point. And the young right-hander ensured he continued from where Rossouw left.
Hasan went under the ball and clubbed pacer Mohammad Shahzad for sixes over cow-corner and long-off in the 18th over before smashing Naseem Shah for three sixes in the 19th.
Hasan thumped Ben Dwarshuis high and long over long-on and got a flying edge for a boundary to reach his century on the very last ball of the innings.
Chasing 264, Islamabad United’s innings crumbled early against Mohammad Amir’s fiery opening spell. Amir struck twice in the first over, dismissing Kyle Mayers lbw and Sahibzada Farhan caught at short midwicket, and later removed Salman Ali Agha, finishing with 3-6 in two overs. Islamabad slumped to 19-3 after three overs.
Mohammad Shahzad (24 off 13) and Mohammad Nawaz offered brief resistance, but Quetta’s bowlers maintained pressure. Abrar Ahmed’s spin removed Haider Ali and Jason Holder, ending with 2-17.
Faheem Ashraf dismissed Azam Khan, while Saud accounted for Ben Dwarshuis (31).
Imad Wasim’s fighting 56 off 41, with five fours and two sixes, brought respectability. His fifty in the 18th over, including a six and four off Faheem, mitigated some damage.
However, Mohammad Wasim (2-28) sealed the game by bowling Imad in the 19th over.
A minute of silence was also observed in the remembrance of those who lost their lives as a result of India’s devious military action against Pakistan late on Tuesday night.
Scoreboard
QUETTA GLADIATORS:
Saud Shakeel c Haider b Naseem 23
Finn Allen run out (Haider) 5
Rilee Rossouw c Holder b Imad 104
Hasan Nawaz not out 100
Mark Chapman not out 13
EXTRAS (B-3, LB-5, NB-1, W-9) 18
TOTAL (for three wickets, 20 overs) 263
DID NOT BAT: Kusal Mendis, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-24 (Allen), 2-60 (Saud), 3-194 (Rossouw)
BOWLING: Imad 4-0-42-1 (1w), Naseem 4-0-55-1 (1nb), Dwarshuis 4-0-50-0 (1w), Holder 4-0-52-0 (2w), Salman 2-0-21-0, Nawaz 1-0-21-0, Shahzad 1-0-14-0
ISLAMABAD UNITED:
Sahibzada Farhan c Khurram b Amir 1
Kyle Mayers lbw b Amir 0
Mohammad Shahzad c Chapman b Wasim 24
Salman Ali Agha c Wasim b Amir 6
Mohammad Nawaz c Wasim b Khurram 10
Azam Khan c Wasim b Faheem 6
Haider Ali c Mendis b Abrar 6
Jason Holder c Faheem b Abrar 3
Imad Wasim not out 10
Ben Dwarshuis c sub (Khawaja) b Saud 31
Naseem Shah not out 5
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-4) 6
TOTAL (all out, 19.3 overs) 154
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-1 (Mayers), 2-2 (Farhan), 3-19 (Salman), 4-33 (Shahzad), 5-43 (Nawaz), 6-53 (Haider), 7-58 (Azam), 8-68 (Holder), 9-123 (Dwarshuis)
BOWLING: Amir 2-0-6-3 (1w), Khurram 4-0-41-1 (1w), Wasim 3.3-0-28-2 (1w), Abrar 4-0-17-2 (1w), Faheem 4-0-40-1, Hasan 1-0-11-0, Saud 1-0-9-1
RESULT: Quetta Gladiators won by 109 runs.
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Rilee Rossouw
Current standings
Tabulated under (Teams, matches, wins, losses, NR, points, net run-rate)
Gladiators 9 6 2 1 13 1.530
Kings 8 5 3 – 10 0.433
United 9 5 4 – 10 -0.044
Qalandars 9 4 4 1 9 0.958
Zalmi 8 4 4 – 8 -0.082
Sultans 9 1 8 – 2 -2.708
Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2025
