Former cricketers during the 24NewsHD programme PSL Hangama have heaped praise on Jason Roya for creating history.
Hard-hitting opener Jason Roy’s marathon 145-run knock trumped Babar Azam’s maiden PSL century. Quetta Gladiators pulled off the highest run chase to down Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets to stay in the playoff contention.
Former cricketer Muhammad Yusuf said that the pitch was only for batting.
Salim Malik the Gladiators surprised everyone by achieving a big target. Jason Roy posted records of scoring the highest run in PSL history and second fastest century, he added.
Former facer Muhammad Asif came down hard on bowlers of both the teams while ex-batsman Muhammad Yusuf was of the view that it was a batting pitch.
However, Asif stressed scoring 241 runs is no ‘small feat’. Babar Azam should have captained well. He avered Babar should bring reforms.
He questioned who will lead the team if the captain stands on the boundary line. He criticized Gladiators for poor fielding. He said Muhammad Hasnain is not going well, Asif said, adding that Hasnain has to ponder over his performance. He may be replaced if he continues to do so, Asif added.
The Gladiators had a mountain to climb to stay alive in the tournament as the former champions needed to pull off the highest-ever run chase and eventually they did so with 10 balls to spare at the back of a scintillating knock by Roy.
In pursuit of 241, the Gladiators’ openers Martin Guptill and Roy gave their side a flying start as they straight away charged on Zalmi bowlers; raising 40 runs in the third over.
Roy was the core aggressor of the Gladiators’ counterattack but his partner Guptill also began to catch up before Wahab Riaz outdid him with a short-pitch delivery. He scored a brisk eight-ball 21 including three boundaries and a six.
Following the early setback, Will Smeed joined his countrymate in the middle and the pair stitched a match-defining 109-run partnership for the second wicket and made sure to score at a rapid pace.
Roy once again led the charge of yet another partnership while Smeed anchored the run chase before falling victim to Mujeeb Ur Rehman in the 12th over. He scored 26 off 22, hitting a boundary and two sixes.