GUYANA: Luke Wells’s all-round exploits led Lahore Qalandars to a narrow four-run victory over Hampshire Hawks in the fourth match of the inaugural edition of the Global Super League (GSL) here at Providence Stadium on Saturday.
Opting to first, the Qalandars amassed 135/5 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of brisk cameos at the backend by Wells and Muhammad Akhlaq.
The two-time PSL champions got off to a shaky start to their innings as they lost two wickets – Mirza Baig (two) and Asif Afridi (one) – inside four overs with just six runs on the board.
Following the early hiccup, Adam Rossington joined hands with Mohammad Faizan (19) and forged a 31-run partnership from 28 balls before Benny Howell cleaned up the former in the seventh over.
Rossington scored 30 off 29 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.
Right-handed batter Tom Abell played a cautious 21-run knock before walking back to the dugout on the first delivery of the 17th over with the scoreboard reading 91/5.
Wells and Akhlaq then forced Qalandars’ comeback with sublime hitting in the remaining overs as they added crucial 44 runs to the total.
Wells top-scored for the Qalandars with an unbeaten 35 off 24 deliveries, while Akhlaq made a 12-ball 23.
Liam Dawson led Hawks’ bowling charge with two wickets, while Danny Briggs, Sonny Baker and Benny Howell chipped in with a wicket apiece.
In response, the Hawks could accumulate 131/8 despite a brisk knock by opener Tom Prest.
Prest top-scored for the Hawks with a 22-ball 30 but lacked support from the other end.
Later, James Fuller (26*) had brought the Hawks in touching distance when he smashed two sixes in the final over against Qalandars’ captain Carlos Brathwaite.
The equation had come down to five runs required off the last delivery with set batter Fuller on strike. The right-handed batter, however, only managed a single this time as the Hawks succumbed to a gruelling four-run defeat.
On the bowling front, Tabraiz Shamsi took three wickets for Qalandars, while skipper Brathwaite, Wells, and Asif made one scalp apiece.
The four-run victory lifted Lahore Qalandars to the fourth spot in the GSL 2024 standings with two points in two matches, while Hampshire Hawks remained third.