KARACHI: Defending champions Quetta Gladiators kicked off the fifth edition of the PSL in style as they cruised to a win over Islamabad United in the tournament opener on Thursday. Chasing 169 on a balmy Karachi night, the Gladiators reached their target with nine balls and three wickets to spare.
On a historic day when the PSL finally arrived for a full season in Pakistan, another unsavory aspect of Pakistani cricket history cropped up at the start. Former international batsman and Quetta Gladiators’ player Umer Akmal was suspended as the day began, with an investigation pending into alleged fixing. But despite that bombshell, Quetta sounded confident after they won the toss and chose to field.
The official start was delayed after a spectacular, if rather long, opening ceremony came to a circuitous end. But the cricket was off to a cracker, as Quetta took a wicket first ball with Mohammad Nawaz dismissing Colin Munro off his own bowling. Islamabad United however, the league’s most successful side with two trophies, took that loss in their stride. With Dawid Malan cracking big shots, the team from the capital threatened a massive score as they reached the halfway point at 95/2.
Enter Mohammad Hasnain. One of several irresistible young pacers that the league has thrown up over the years, the Karachi native was ferociously fast as he ripped out four wickets in a superb spell. The chalk to his cheese was Ben Cutting, the overseas bowler, who kept taking pace off the ball as he added three crucial wickets to his account. It meant that United collapsed in slow-motion, losing their final eight wickets for just 73 runs and failing to play out their 20 overs.
In reply, Islamabad United initially threatened to have their own young pacer, Musa Khan, take the game away. On a night where the pacers outbowled the spinners, Musa led the way as Quetta lost three quick wickets for next to nothing. But then, yet another youngster decided it was going to be his day.
Azam Khan, son of former captain and Quetta coach Moin Khan, had walked out to bat with jeers and shouts of “parchi,” a reference to his father being among those who selected the side. But the portly batter played, a spectacular innings, hitting sixes for fun. Batting first with his captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and then with Mohammad Nawaz in two crucial partnerships, Azam’s effortless innings meant the match quickly ended as a contest. A flurry of late wickets briefly threatened some drama, but it never came to be.
For Islamabad United, this won’t be a time to panic. The team are notoriously slow starters and have often begun the PSL with weak performances. However, the team’s strength had always been their bowling yet the lack of experience in today’s lineup would be a concern. Captain Shadab Khan would be counting on veteran overseas star Dale Steyn to make his impact count when he joins the side midway through the tournament.
Ultimately though, the occasion was about far more than cricket. Over 10 years after cricket was exiled from Pakistan, Thursday marked its grandest return. Regardless of the outcome, the very holding of this tournament is a huge win for the country.
Young stars light up PSL opener
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Young stars light up PSL opener
- Over 10 years after cricket was exiled from Pakistan, Thursday marked its grandest return
- United collapsed in slow-motion, losing their final eight wickets for just 73 runs and failing to play out their 20 overs
Pakistan’s president defends ongoing strikes in Afghanistan, urges Kabul to dismantle militants
- Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday
- Pakistan’s military says it is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s president on Monday defended his country’s ongoing military strikes in neighboring Afghanistan, saying Islamabad tried all forms of diplomacy before targeting militants operating from Afghan territory, and called on the Taliban government in Kabul to disarm groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan earlier said it is in “open war” with Afghanistan, alarming the international community. The border area remains a stronghold for militant organizations including Al-Qaeda and the Daesh (Islamic State) group.
“(The Afghan Taliban) must choose to dismantle the terror groups that survive on conflict and its war economy,” Asif Ali Zardari said during a speech to lawmakers, adding that “no state accepts serial attacks on its soil.”
Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday. Since then, Pakistan has carried out operations along the border, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claiming the killing of 435 Afghan forces and the capture of 31 Afghan positions.
Kabul has denied such claims.
In Afghanistan, the deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistan’s military fired mortar shells at a refugee camp in eastern Kunar province, killing three children and injuring three others.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry said Afghan forces carried out strikes targeting a Pakistani military facility near Paktia province, causing “substantial losses and heavy casualties.”
Pakistan’s military did not respond to questions. It has said Pakistan is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge of violence in recent months and blames it on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. It operates both inside Pakistan and from Afghan territory.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing safe havens for the TTP, which Kabul denies.
The latest cross-border fighting ended a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkiye in October. The two sides failed to reach a permanent agreement during talks in Istanbul.
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s call for talks, saying, “We have never walked away from dialogue.”
The Pakistani leader again accused Afghanistan of acting as a proxy for India by sheltering militant groups.
“Stop being used by another country as a battlefield for their ambitions,” he said.
Zardari cited a recent report from the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring team that described the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan as an extra-regional threat.
