Dussen, Zaman lead Lahore Qalandars to first win over United in PSL 9 | Maqvi News

LAHORE  –  Lahore Qalandars clinched their inaugural victory of the HBL PSL Season 9 by beating Islamabad United with a 17-run win in the 23rd match at Rawalpindi Crick­et Stadium on Wednesday night. 

Opting to bat first, Lahore Qalandars set a competitive target, thanks to a masterful in­nings by Rassie van der Dussen. The South African batsman de­livered a stellar performance, notching up 64 runs off 44 balls, including four boundar­ies and an equal number of sixes. Although the Qalandars faced early setbacks with Sa­hibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman departing cheaply, van der Dussen’s resilient knock alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi’s quickfire 30 off 14 balls pro­pelled the team to a respectable total of 162/7. 

David Wiese’s unbeaten 24 off 11 balls in the closing stag­es added the finishing touches to Lahore’s innings. Rumman Raees led the bowling attack for Islamabad United with 2 wick­ets for 19, while Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah, Imad Wasim, Fa­heem Ashraf and Shadab cap­tured one scalp each.

In response, Islamabad United’s chase was marred by frequent wickets, despite a val­iant effort from Azam Khan, who scored a rapid 29 off 19 balls, and Faheem Ashraf’s un­beaten 41 off 31. The top order crumbled under pressure, with Zaman Khan wreaking havoc through United’s batting lineup, claiming 4 wickets for 37 runs. 

Shaheen Shah Afridi also made significant contributions, securing 2 wickets for 32 runs, which ultimately left Islamabad short of their target, ending their innings at 145 all out. Za­man Khan’s exceptional bowl­ing was a key factor in derailing Islamabad’s chase, with crucial wickets at pivotal moments. La­hore’s bowling unit, comprising Jahandad Khan, Ahsan Hafeez, and David Wiese, collectively stifled Islamabad’s batting ef­forts, each contributing vital wickets to the team’s victory.