
HBL PSL X: Quetta Gladiators elect to bat against Islamabad United in first qualifier
Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to bat first against defending champions Islamabad United in the first qualifier of the tenth edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League on Wednesday in Lahore.
The Gladiators will aim to continue their winning streak, having remained unbeaten in their last five matches, while United will look to carry their last match form forward and qualify directly for the final for the second consecutive year.
The winner of the match will qualify directly for the final, while the losing team will get another chance by facing the winner of this week's eliminator.
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (Captain), Finn Allen, Hasan Nawaz, +Dinesh Chandimal, Avishka Fernando, Rilee Rossouw, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed.
Islamabad United: Shadan Khan (Captain), Sahibzada Farhan, Alex Hales, Rassie van der Dussen, Salman Agha, James Neesham, Ben Dwarshuis, Imad Wasim, +Ghazi Ghori, Salman Irshad, Naseem Shah.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Holder, Russell return for West Indies
SUPERB PERFORMANCE: Islamabad United all-rounder Jason Holder celebrates after taking another Multan Sultans wicket in HBL PSL match on Wednesday night. PHOTO: PCB Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the T20I squads for the upcoming series against England and Ireland, with big names like Jason Holder and Andre Russell making a return. However, Nicholas Pooran will be rested for the tour following his involvement in the IPL. West Indies will face England in three T20Is immediately after their ODI series at The Oval concludes on Tuesday. Following that, they will head to Ireland for another three-match T20I series, although several players and members of the coaching staffincluding Russellwill be rested for the Ireland leg. Holder last appeared in a T20I for West Indies in February 2024, having missed the World Cup later that year due to injury. Russell's most recent match was against England in Barbados last November, where an ankle injury ruled him out of the remainder of the series. Sherfane Rutherford returns to the squad after missing the Bangladesh series, while Keacy Carty will only feature in the Ireland T20Is, replacing Brandon King who has been granted leave. New Test captain Roston Chase will also depart after the England series to prepare for Australia's upcoming tour, with former West Indies Under-19 player Jyd Goolie receiving his first senior call-up. Ahead of the first Test against Australia starting June 25, West Indies will hold a Test training camp in Barbados from June 13-21. West Indies Men's T20I Squad for England: Shai Hope (captain), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd. West Indies Men's T20I Squad for Ireland: Shai Hope (captain), Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Jyd Goolie, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.


Express Tribune
7 days ago
- Express Tribune
'I want to win World Cup for Pak'
Hasan Ali claimed a five-wicket haul during the first T20I against Bangladesh on Wednesday. Photo. AFP Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali on Thursday expressed his strong desire to help Pakistan win the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, calling every match an opportunity to prove himself after a tough battle with injury and rehabilitation. Speaking on the Pakistan Cricket Board's podcast, Hasan reflected on his journey back to the national side and the emotional weight of returning to form. "If you ask me, I want to play for Pakistan in the World Cup and win it for my country. For me, every match is now an opportunity, and I will give my 100 percent," he said. The 30-year-old made a stunning comeback on Wednesday in the first T20I against Bangladesh at Gaddafi Stadium, taking a five-wicket haul and becoming only the fourth Pakistani bowler to achieve this feat in T20Is. Hasan emphasised that while a player's performance can fluctuate, consistent effort is non-negotiable. "Performance may vary, but your effort on the field should always be visible. At the end of the day, I want to leave the field with the satisfaction that I gave my all," he said. Reflecting on his injury and the rehab phase, Hasan said the journey back was filled with challenges. "Coming back from injury is never easy. There is a unique pressure to it. I am grateful and proud that I managed to get fit again. A lot of hard work went into it, and I am finally seeing the results," Hasan said. He described his return to the Pakistan team as a dream come true and reaffirmed his determination to perform at the highest level. "It feels like a dream has come true. I am very excited and committed to performing well for the team. There is no substitute for hard work," he concluded. Nawaz wants to win Pakistan's aggressive batter Hasan Nawaz on Thursday expressed his strong determination to deliver top performances for the national team. He revealed that he has now been assigned a middle-order role, which he is fully committed to fulfilling. Hasan played a blistering innings of 44 runs off just 22 balls, including four sixes and two fours, in the first T20I against Bangladesh on Wednesday - a knock that played a key role in Pakistan's victory. The 22-year-old also impressed in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 while playing for Quetta Gladiators, where he finished as the third-highest run-scorer. Hasan amassed 399 runs in the tournament, including one century and three half-centuries. Speaking on the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) podcast, Hasan said that although he has primarily opened the batting throughout his career, he is now ready to adapt to his new responsibility in the middle order. "I have always been an opener. I did not know I could perform this well in the middle order too. But now that I have been given the role, I will try my best to fulfill it," he said. Hasan also shared that he never succumbs to pressure - rather, he thrives under it. "Whether it's domestic cricket or the PSL, I have never felt pressure. I actually play better under pressure, and that is why my performance remains strong." Expressing his ambitions, Hasan said he aims to play and win as many matches as possible for Pakistan. He also dreams of being part of a World Cup-winning squad. "My goal is to play and win more matches for Pakistan. My dream is to be part of the team whenever Pakistan wins a major trophy," he concluded.


Express Tribune
29-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Hasan Ali takes maiden five-wicket haul against Bangladesh, credits PCB
Pakistan pacer Hasan Ali marked his return to international cricket with a maiden five-wicket haul in T20 internationals during the first match of the series against Bangladesh at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. Hasan, whose last T20I outing was in May 2024 against Ireland, had been sidelined due to an elbow injury sustained during his County Championship stint in July last year. He then made a sensational comeback in the recently concluded HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, finishing as the joint-second leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets, which earned him a recall to the national squad. In his first match back, Hasan made an immediate impact by dismissing Bangladesh's openers Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan within his opening overs. He then took two wickets in his third over, removing wicketkeeper-batter Jaker Ali and Tanzim Hasan Sakib. He sealed his five-wicket haul by catching Shoriful Islam at long off in his final over. His performance helped bowl out Bangladesh for 164, securing a 37-run victory for Pakistan in the series opener. Reflecting on his achievement, Hasan described the five-wicket haul as 'truly special' and credited the team's batting for setting a competitive total. 'The plan was straightforward — I just needed to bowl in the right areas,' he said. 'T20 cricket heavily favours batsmen, so developing pace variations becomes crucial. I'm pleased I could execute my variations effectively when it mattered most.' Hasan also expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the medical team for their support during his rehabilitation, calling the process 'boring' but requiring dedication and passion. 'Facing a potentially career-ending injury made me deeply appreciate the PCB and my physio's incredible support,' he added. The win marked a positive start for newly-appointed Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, whose instructions to play a modern and aggressive brand of T20 cricket appeared to be embraced by the team. 'Hesson's philosophy was clear — play modern, aggressive T20 cricket. We executed the fundamentals well, and I'm sure he's satisfied with our performance,' Hasan said. Pakistan will look to build on this momentum in the remainder of the T20I series against Bangladesh.