Quetta seal PSL final spot with win over Islamabad
Table-toppers Quetta Gladiators progressed to the final of the Pakistan Super League with a 30-run win over second-placed Islamabad United in the qualifier match.
In the first match of the end of season play-offs, Islamabad were bowled out for 179 in the final over while pursuing 210.
Finn Allen (41) drove the start of the Quetta innings, while Faheem Ashraf (45) and Dinesh Chandimal (48 not out) added 95 to push on from a precarious 113-5.
Faheem was caught off the bowling of Salman Irshad from the penultimate ball of the innings as the league leaders closed on 209-6.
Islamabad's reply started well, with Sahibzada Farhan (52) and Rassie van der Dussen (35) adding 71 after Alex Hales was bowled by Faheem for a two-ball duck.
Their wickets left the early season leaders on 101-3, and from there the innings stalled.
Salman Ali Agha struck hit 44 from 26 deliveries prior to being caught off Usman Tariq, who took 3-32, but five more batters were dismissed for single figures as Islamabad fell short of their target.
They will now face the winner of Thursday's first eliminator match between Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalanders, who finished third and fourth in the regular season, with the winners of that game playing Quetta in the final on Sunday.
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