Quetta Gladiators' veteran leg-spinner Shahid Afridi recorded the second most expensive figures by a spinner in a Twenty20 as Islamabad United registered a commanding 43-run victory in the Pakistan Super League. (More Cricket News)
Afridi returned with figures of 1-67 in his first game this season after missing three games with coronavirus as Islamabad went on a run rampage and posted a massive 229-4 after losing the toss.
Leward Islands leg-spinner Anthony Martin still holds the worst bowling figures by a spinner in a T20 when he ended up with 0-70 against Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean T20 in 2012.
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After watching his batters' powerful hitting, Islamabad captain Shadab Khan (5-27) notched his maiden five-wicket haul in the PSL to bowl out Quetta for 186 in 19.3 overs with Islamabad taking some sharp catches in the outfield.
Quetta's top-order stuttered to 110-7 against Shadab's top-class bowling before Mohammad Nawaz made 47 off 22 balls and James Faulkner remained unbeaten on 30 to narrow the margin of defeat. Fast bowlers Mohammad Wasim (2-27) and Hasan Ali (2-50) wrapped up the innings with three balls to spare as Quetta lost their last three wickets without a run.
Earlier, Colin Munro's unbeaten 72 off 39 balls was well supplemented by Irishman Paul Stirling (58) while Azam Khan smashed 65 off 35 balls against his former franchise.
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Stirling and Alex Hales (22) set the tempo of this season's top score by hammering 81 runs in the first six overs of the batting powerplay. Stirling's whirlwind knock off 28 balls included seven boundaries and three sixes before he was caught at point in the eighth over.
Munro and Azam both continued to score at a fast pace -- especially against the legspin of Afridi, who conceded eight sixes against both batters. Azam was clean bowled by the veteran legspinner in the final over, but not before Azam had provided Islamabad a strong total to defend.
While Azam showed his batting exploits against Afridi, Munro dominated the fast bowlers with James Faulkner (1-45), Sohail Tanvir (0-43) and Naseem Shah (0-42) finishing with expensive figures.
Islamabad now have four points from three games and is second behind table topper Multan Sultans, who have won all their four matches. Quetta have only two points from one win out of four matches.
