PSL 2 - Match 14 : Umar Akmal leads Lahore Qalandars to a narrow victory against Islamabad United

[Abdullah719]

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Islamabad United Team
Rafatullah Mohmand, Dwayne Smith, Brad Haddin, Ben Duckett, Misbah-ul-Haq*, Shane Watson, Shadab Khan, Amad Butt, Rumman Raees, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Irfan.

Lahore Qalandars Team
Cameron Delport, Fakhar Zaman, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Rizwan, Brendon McCullum, Grant Elliott, Aamer Yamin, Sunil Narine, Sohail Tanvir, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan Jr.

McCullum won the toss and opted to field with both teams making enforced changes due to injury and the departed England players. Duckett replaced Billings while Yamin and Elliott replace Bhatti and Roy. Rafatullah and Smith began aggressively but the former got a couple of lives due to dropped catches until he perished for 18 off Yamin's bowling. The pacer also removed Haddin soon via an inside edge while Smith was adjudged LBW off Yasir for 20 - there was more than a hint of an inside-edge. Misbah and Duckett formed a short partnership until the captain was given out caught behind off Yamin; however, the bat was nowhere near the ball. Duckett's struggle came to an end as he was bowled by Yasir and Watson fell soon, plumb LBW to Narine. Shadab and Amad put on a partnership, rotating strike well until the 19th over where Shadab helped to take 18 runs off Irfan Jr. as he finished on 42, dismissed on the last ball of the innings as they posted 145/7.

Lahore's chase began in an uncharacteristically slow manner as Delport and McCullum both struggled to force the pace despite their best attempts. Delport's struggle came to an end in the fifth over as he fell to Irfan while McCullum was out to Rumman in the next over. Fakhar failed as well as he was deceived by Shadab and was dismissed LBW and Rizwan didn't last long either as he was bowled by Watson. Umar Akmal kept hitting occasional boundaries to keep the required run-rate in check but his search for a partner continued as the promoted Irfan Jr. was run out for a duck. Umar found a capable partner in Elliott and looked to be in the zone as he went past fifty. There was still time for further twists as Shadab trapped him LBW but Narine came and straight away hit two sixes to put pressure back on the reigning champions. Rumman hit back with a double strike, dismissing Narine via another dubious LBW decision and then Tanvir as the equation became 6 off the last over. Yamin fell on the first ball, leaving Lahore 9 down but Elliott finished in style with a big six as a one-wicket victory was sealed.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Great match. Akmal showing what he can do. Called it when he came out to bat that he was gonna play a great knock.

 

[Haroon786]

 

[Rayyman]

Youngsters played well in this match.

 

[asma_cricfan]

actually akmal contribute in the win until he fail to finish the game and make the win tight. its elliot who finish and win the game.
nevertheless he needs a lot to learn unfortunately even after playing 200 international matches.

 

[Junaids]

actually akmal contribute in the win until he fail to finish the game and make the win tight. its elliot who finish and win the game.
nevertheless he needs a lot to learn unfortunately even after playing 200 international matches.

He just scored 66 when the next highest score was 26!

 

[marlonbrowndo]

He just scored 66 when the next highest score was 26!

Yes but they'll keep coming up with excuses and then they accuse us of making excuses when we say he was wrongly dropped from the Test side etc

 

[dauntless]

Umar akmal played beautifully happy to see him performing he has to carry Lahore's batting since Roy is not in the team! Hopefully he will finish as top scorer this time around too!!

 

[waleed88]

He just scored 66 when the next highest score was 26!

He also didn't score in 5 other games when others scored in 70s and 80s

 

[Belawal2014]

Official highlights for anyone that missed the match.

 

[DHONI183]

I thought that was a pretty soft delivery by Sami, really had a six written all over it. He took no advantage of the fact that Lahore were nine down and Elliot must´ve been in two mind as to whether go for a blow and risk getting out, or first getting closer by running them.

Elliot though.... what a calm head! So, so much reminds me of Dhoni.

Fourth fantastically close game in a row in the PSL. I´m really loving the ongoing edition, and in terms of close games, it has already surpassed the previous one. I think this must´ve been the first one-wicket win in it.

 

[MenInG]

Poor Umar - even when he does well someone else upstages him...