Mahmudullah Riyad's team Quetta Gladiators, who also are the Runners Up of the last year's Pakistan Super League (PSL), failed to score the required 7 runs in last two overs against the Islamabad United. Sarfaraz Ahmed's side scored only two and three runs respectively in the 19th and last over of their innings. That gave Islamabad a vital victory by just one run. [caption id="attachment_67915" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Mahmudullah bowled two overs for Quetta.[/caption] The tactics of the Quetta will be also questioned in the last over as they sent bowling all-rounder Anwar Ali ahead of better recognized batsmen like Mahmudullah Riyad and Thisara Parera. Especially Mahmudullah, who had been in good nick in recent matches. Rumman Raees bowled the penultimate over for Islamabad whereas Mohammed Sami once again showed his class in the last over. Quetta not just failed to score runs in the over of Rumman Raees but also lost the wicket of their captain Sarfaraz Ahmed which in the end proved to be the turning point of the match. Misbah's Islamabad United scored a decent total of 165 runs losing six wickets in their 20 overs after being invited to bat first by Quetta Gladiators. Hasan Talat was the highest scorer in Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday for the defending champions. He smashed six fours and two sixes scored 56 runs in his 39 balls knock for Islamabad who lost the big wicket of Dwayne Smith before scoring any run. Captain Misbah also leaded from the front with bat scoring 25 runs and Brad Haddin also scored 22 runs. Later on Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson accelerated the run rate scoring a quickfire 29 runs in just 16 balls. Zulfiqer Babar and Anwar Ali were the successful among the Quetta bowlers getting two wickets each. Mahmudullah had to remain wicketless in the match bowling only two overs including the second over of the match. Chasing the target of 166 runs, Quetta lost the wicket of Asad Shafiq at 16 runs. Ahmed Shahzad then built a century partnership with Kevin Pietersen. Both scored 133 runs for the second wicket partnership. Shahzad scored 5 fours and a six in his 59-run knock off 51 balls. His English partner was more aggressive scoring 69 runs in just 43 balls including 3 big sixes and 6 fours. But unfortunately they both were dismissed in two consecutive deliveries. Rossow, Sarfaraz and Anwar played irresponsibly since then. It was the middle order batsmen of Quetta Gladiators failed to utilise the wonderful foundation of their top-order batters.    

 

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