Pakistan Super League 2023: week 3 review

 In the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League, the third week of action saw the league standings begin to take more of a solid shape. Islamabad United and Lahore Qalanders in particular helped make their respective cases for qualification, with the former's powerful batting coming to the fore while the latter's strong bowling attack helped them out of some tricky situations. 

Match-by-match mini reviews

Match 16 - Islamabad United vs Lahore Qalanders

Lahore made a strong start, reaching 50-0 in 5.2 overs, before Shadab Khan bowled Tahir Baig for 20 off 17 with one that kept low. Fakhar Zaman then chopped on off the bowling of Tom Curran for 36 off 23 as Islamabad began to make inroads but Lahore settled at 84-2 at halfway. 

Abdullah Shafique and Sam Billings put on fifty in 30 balls, before Curran got another breakthrough as Shafique could only pick out Ramanullah Gurbaz at deep midwicket for 45 off 24. 

Shadab then got Hussain Talat lbw and the Qalanders reached 142-4 at 15 overs. Curran then produced another breakthrough as Billings looked to guide one down to third man but could only pick out Zeeshan Zameer at short third man for 33 off 23. David Wiese took ten off the first two balls of Abrar Ahmed's last over but perished next ball as he found deep midwicket and Hasan Ali; 21 ended up coming off that 17th over. Late hitting from Sikandar Raza and Rashid Khan got Lahore up to 200-7, despite Rashid getting out on the penultimate ball.

A quick start was made by Islamabad, aided by some wayward bowling from Shaheen Shah Afridi. The start was then halted when Gurbaz miscued one for 23 off 17 as Fakhar took a good diving catch. It was then Munro's turn to mistime one as Wiese picked up his wicket for 18 off 14. Rassie van der Dussen then poked one straight to cover for just three as Islamabad slipped to 59-3 in the seventh. It was soon 63-4 as Wiese picked up his second, with Lahore successfully reviewing a caught behind as Shadab went for four.

Asif Ali was the next to go as he skied Rashid to long-off for just three, before Wiese then trapped Azam Khan plumb in front as United continued to capitulate, falling to 68-6 in the tenth. Curran was then cleaned up by Rashid for ten,. A team hat-trick finished the match with a run out followed by two arrows from Raza as United ultimately subsided to 90 all out with 38 balls remaining.

Match 17 - Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi

Mohammad Amir removed Mohammad Haris first ball, with Karachi reviewing successfully. He then sensationally trapped Babar Azam lbw third ball as Zalmi were reduced to 1-2 in the first over. Saim Ayub then incredibly flicked Amir to deep midwicket for just one as Peshawar fell to 2-3 in the third. Zalmi managed to recover to 41-3 after the powerplay, thanks to Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Haseebullah Khan.

Haseebullah brought up a 27-ball fifty but his innings came to an end two balls later, with Peshawar getting to 84-4 at the midway point. More good batting, between Kohler-Cadmore and Rovman Powell, saw Zalmi to 132-4 after 16. Powell's fifty then came up in 29 balls, before he eventually top edged to Adam Rossington for 64 off 34. Kohler-Cadmore then reached his fifty in 44 balls, as PZ recovered incredibly to post 197-5; 73 came off the last five overs.

A strong start was made by Karachi but Rossington skied to deep midwicket for 15 off eight to leave Karachi 40-1 midway through the fifth. Tayyab Tahir then feathered a knick through to Haseebullah for six as the Kings faltered. A fifty for Matthew Wade was brought up in 36 balls, but Irfan Niazi was pouched by Powell at long-on for four with the Kings down to 81-3 at halfway. 

Then first ball after, Aamer Jamal claimed a caught and bowled as Shoaib Malik went for one. Mujeeb ur Rahman then cleaned up Wade for 53 from 41 with 103 needed from 50. Cutting then picked out Jimmy Neesham at deep midwicket for 15 to further hinder the Kings' hopes. Captain Imad Wasim brought up a consolation fifty off 29 balls as he helped to bring his side to 173-8, with PZ winning by 24 runs.

Match 18 - Lahore Qalanders vs Quetta Gladiators

Lahore got off to a rocky start as Fakhar was run out for four in the first over. Umaid Asif then picked up Baig for two caught and bowled, before Billings then picked out Will Smeed at deep square leg off Naveen ul-Haq for just two. Naveen then went straight through Talat as Lahore slipped to 28-4 midway through the sixth. Shafique was then bowled round his legs via his gloves for 15 with LQ 45-5 after eight. Up the order at number six, captain Shaheen was run out for 16 and then Wiese just poked one back to Mohammad Nawaz, leaving Lahore 50-7 midway through the tenth.

A good fightback from Rashid and Raza ended with the former picking out long-on for 21 off 20; the Qalanders were 119-8 after 16. Raza's incredible counter attack saw him bring up fifty in just 22 balls, but Haris Rauf couldn't stick around for Raza as he nicked Naseem Shah behind second ball. Zaman was then poorly run out coming for a second as Raza was left stranded on 71 from 34 as Lahore miraculously recovered to 148 all out.

Despite the recovery, it did not look enough as Quetta's first opening fifty partnership of the season was brought up in 29 balls, before Yasir Khan nicked behind off Rauf for 14. Rashid (4-0-14-2) then got the big wicket of Smeed lbw for 32 off 25. Quetta then slowed dramatically as Hafeez was run out, leaving them 59-3 midway through the tenth. Rashid struck again as Iftikhar edged one behind to Billings with QG starting to falter in what was trending to be a straightforward chase. 

Martin Guptill then picked out deep midwicket for 15 as the rate climbed above ten as Odean Smith then skied Shaheen to Billings for 11. Having at one point needed just 100 off 94 balls without the fall of a wicket, Quetta required 44 from 22 balls at six down. Rauf then cleaned up Nawaz to all but seal the game for the Qalanders. Ultimately, Lahore won by 17 runs in what was quite an incredible victory as Quetta finish 131-7.

Match 19 - Karachi Kings vs Islamabad United

Early on in the innings, Ruman Raees went straight through the returning Sharjeel Khan for eight. Tayyab then miscued Curran to mid-off for a quick 19 off just eight balls. Then, Rossington couldn't beat mid-on as he went for 20 from 16, before Faheem Ashraf castled Malik for 12; Karachi reached 87-4 at halfway.

After a good period, Karachi were 119-4 after 14, with another great innings from Imad seeing him get to fifty in 35 balls. The 5th wicket partnership ended on 99 following unbelievable work from Hasan Ali to dismiss Niazi for 30 from 20. Imad finished on an incredible 92 from 54 as he guided Karachi to 201-5; 65 came from the last five overs.

After a hectic start, Colin Munro skied Amir as he went for 11 in the first over. Alex Hales' PSL return ended when he was bowled with last ball of the powerplay for a brisk 34 off 16 as IU ended the first six overs 62-2. Tabraiz Shamsi then removed his compatriot van der Dussen for 22 with one that kept a bit low to leave the chase in the balance.

Faheem, sent up the order to number four to provide a left-handed option, and Azam helped get the equation down to 71 needed from six. Azam's continued fine form saw him reach a 29-ball fifty, with the hundred partnership coming off 61 balls with Faheem on 29. A mix-up saw Faheem run out for an important 41 from 32, leaving eight needed from the final over with Asif Ali on strike. The Pakistan international then duly struck his first ball over deep midwicket for six and then the next over mid-on for four as Islamabad won by six wickets with four balls remaining; Azam finished 72 not out from 41 for another match-winning innings.

Match 20 - Lahore Qalanders vs Multan Sultans

Another poor start from Lahore saw Fakhar slice one down to third man for a three-ball duck. The Qalanders recovered through Baig and Shafique, with the pair bringing up their fifty partnership in 33 balls. Star man Ihsanullah then struck as Baig gloved one behind next ball for 17; Multan reached 56-2 after the powerplay and soon made their way to 88-2 at halfway. 

Kieron Pollard snaffled a caught and bowled to dismiss Shafique for 48 off 35, before Billings brought his fifty up off 31 balls, with Lahore 135-3 at 14. Pollard then got Billings lbw for 54 off 34, before Ihsanullah trapped Raza lbw for 14. With two to go, Lahore were 163-5 before Talat picked out deep cover; Lahore finished on 180-9 with a late flurry of runs and wickets.

Multan got off to a typically solid start in response, reaching 44-0 after six. Shan Masood then miscued one off Zaman and Shaheen took a good catch to remove the Pakistan international for 19. Raza then got Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan lbw for 30 off 27 first ball of the tenth to leave MS 63-2; a good over saw Multan reach 74-2 at halfway. 

Next ball, though, Rashid cleaned up Usama Mir for 17 before trapping Miller lbw for just one to turn the tide. He then bowled Rilee Rossouw for 12 to lead Qalanders further towards victory. With their big stars gone, the Multan innings began to peter out, despite a few late hits from Pollard (39 from 28), including his 800th six in t20s. The early league leaders could only get to 159-7 as LQ won by 21 runs.

Match 21 - Quetta Gladiators vs Islamabad United

Smeed was out lbw first ball to Fazalhaq Farooqi, before Yasir chipped one straight to Shadab at mid-on as Quetta's struggles continued. Captain Sarfaraz Khan then went courtesy of a great catch from Mubasir Khan with QG 12-3 midway through the fourth over. Just six balls later, Iftikhar could not connect well enough as Quetta limped to 17-4, reaching 52-4 at halfway. 

An impressive fifty partnership between Najibullah Zadran and Mohammad Nawaz was brought up in 35 balls, with Zadran's fifty brought up in just 28 balls. The recovery continued, with Quetta getting to 114-4 at 15 with Nawaz bringing up a fifty of his own off 42 balls; the hundred partnership was up in 64 balls. The first ball of the 17th saw Nawaz pick out deep midwicket for 52 off 44. In between big hitting from Umar Akmal, Raees cleaned up Najibullah for 59 from 34. Akmal ended his assault on the United bowling with 43 off 14 as Quetta end on a brilliant 179-6, considering their shocking start.

Gurbaz was adjudged lbw second ball, but in true Islamabad fashion the attack did not falter, bringing the fifty up in 23 balls. Naveen then picked up big fish Hales for 12 with IU 52-2 midway through the fifth. Islamabad reached a typically aggressive 77-2 after the powerplay, with Munro getting to fifty in just 24 balls. Then, after 19 came from the first five balls from Iftikhar via Munro, Shadab picked out deep square leg off the final ball of the over with Islamabad 96-3 after just seven overs. Munro went next ball for 63 off 29, before the fifth wicket went down as Mubasir miscued Umaid to cover. 

With 69 needed from 54, Asif missed a sweep and United were suddently six down. However, another fifty partnership between Faheem and Azam was brought up in 40 balls as they brought the equation down to 18 from two overs. A six off the first ball of the penultimate helped further, but Azam couldn't see it through as he picked out deep square leg for 35 off 25.

The last ball of the 19th over saw Hasan Ali sky one to long-on, leaving nine needed from the last over with eight wickets down. Faheem (39 off 31) felt no such pressure, though, as he struck the first two balls off Smith for four with just one needed from four. He then promptly sealed the game with another four as Islamabad claimed a nervy two wicket win with three balls to spare.