Rossouw and Hasan dismantle Qalandars with 104 stand

Quetta Gladiators secured a comfortable six-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in match 26, with Rilee Rossouw anchoring the chase with an unbeaten half-century on a challenging surface in Karachi.

Chasing 135, Gladiators reached 138 for 4 with 22 balls to spare, thanks to a match-defining 104-run partnership between Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz. Rossouw remained unbeaten on 60, while Hasan contributed 49 in a composed yet aggressive stand that took the game away from Qalandars.

Rossouw and Hasan take control

The chase was not without early setbacks. Gladiators lost Shamyl Hussain and Saud Shakeel inside the powerplay, but Rossouw and Hasan rebuilt with authority. Their partnership gained momentum towards the end of the powerplay, adding 31 runs in the final three overs to shift the pressure.

Despite disciplined spells from Usama Mir, who conceded just two and five runs in his seventh and ninth overs, the pair counterattacked effectively. Haris Rauf, operating from the other end, proved expensive, conceding 11 and 10 runs in successive overs, allowing Gladiators to stay ahead of the required rate.

Hasan Nawaz continued to accelerate, striking Usama for a four and a six to bring the target within reach. Rossouw then took charge in the 13th over, hitting Daniel Sams for two boundaries to raise his second half-century of the season. With only 25 needed from seven overs, the result was all but sealed, and Gladiators completed the chase comfortably despite losing Hasan and Dinesh Chandimal late.

Qalandars struggle again with the bat

Lahore Qalandars endured another difficult outing with the bat, bowled out for 134. Early wickets set the tone, with Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman dismissed inside the first three overs despite both hitting early boundaries.

Naeem fell after chopping on against Jahandad Khan due to low bounce, while Fakhar was bowled by a sharp delivery from Alzarri Joseph. The early breakthroughs exposed a fragile middle order.

The inclusion of Charith Asalanka did not provide the expected stability, as he too fell during the powerplay. Saqib Khan then trapped Mohammad Farooq lbw immediately after the fielding restrictions, further denting the innings.

Spin and pace tighten the grip

Qalandars found scoring increasingly difficult as Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq applied sustained pressure through the middle overs. Abrar bowled 13 dot balls in his four overs, conceding just 14 runs, while Tariq delivered a decisive spell.

Introduced in the 11th over, Tariq removed Abdullah Shafique and Shaheen Shah Afridi in quick succession and later dismissed Sikandar Raza, finishing with figures of 3 for 18.

With wickets falling regularly, Qalandars looked set for a sub-100 total before a late cameo from Usama Mir added some respectability. Mir struck 22 off seven balls, including back-to-back sixes off Alzarri Joseph and further boundaries off Jahandad Khan, before being caught in the final over.

Match impact

This result lifts Quetta Gladiators to fourth place on the points table, strengthening their position in the competition. For Lahore Qalandars, a third consecutive defeat highlights ongoing batting concerns, particularly on surfaces offering assistance to bowlers. As the tournament progresses, consistency with the bat will be crucial for Qalandars to remain competitive.

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