March 12, 2024
KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — Quetta Gladiators finally sealed a playoff spot in Pakistan Super League cricket after four years as Mohammad Wasim pulled Shaheen Shah Afridi for a last-ball six and handed Lahore Qalandars a six-wicket defeat on Sunday.
Two-time defending champion Lahore’s disastrous season ended with only one win against Islamabad United in 10 league games. Fourth-place Quetta has 11 points and could still finish among the top two if it beats leader Multan Sultans in the final league game on Tuesday.
Quetta’s win eliminated Karachi Kings (8 points) from the playoffs race with Multan (12 points), Islamabad (11) and Peshawar Zalmi (11) also having advanced.
Opening batter Saud Shakeel anchored Quetta’s run chase of 169-4 with an unbeaten 88 off 65 balls that included two successive boundaries against Afridi (2-41) in the final over before Wasim smacked Lahore’s captain over mid-wicket for a winning six off the last ball.
