Persistent rain brought a premature end to what was shaping up to be an enthralling contest between Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators, as Match 21 of PSL X was abandoned with no result at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
Only 11.3 overs of play were possible in the evening fixture of the double-header before a heavy downpour forced the umpires to call off the match. Both sides were awarded a point each, taking their respective tallies to nine points. Lahore now occupy second place on the points table, with Quetta closely trailing in third.
Earlier, Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to bowl first under cloudy skies. Khurram Shahzad made an immediate impact, dismissing Fakhar Zaman for a duck in the first over. However, any early advantage was quickly neutralized by a scintillating 102-run stand between Abdullah Shafique and Mohammad Naeem.
Abdullah, anchoring the innings with his eighth half-century in HBL PSL history, remained unbeaten on 53 off 32 balls, while Naeem brought up his maiden fifty in style with a 30-ball 50, peppered with three boundaries and four sixes.
Quetta managed a breakthrough in the 10th over when mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed struck twice in quick succession, removing Naeem and then Daryl Mitchell. At 111-3 in 11.3 overs, the Qalandars appeared poised for a strong finish — but the weather had the final say.
As the rain intensified and ground conditions worsened, hopes of a resumption dwindled, and the match was officially declared a no result.
Scores in brief:
Match 21 – No Result – Lahore Qalandars vs Quetta Gladiators at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Lahore Qalandars: 111-3 in 11.3 overs (Abdullah Shafique 53*, Mohammad Naeem 50; Abrar Ahmed 2-23)
Next Fixture: Friday – Peshawar Zalmi vs Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore; 8:00 PM PKT
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