Wiese the hero as Qalandars clinch thriller to reach PSL final

The last overs looked like the forte of David Wiese as he shone both with willow and leather to win it the second eliminator for Lahore Qalandars over Islamabad United during the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore Friday.

After his last over heroics with the bat in Lahore Qalandars innings in which he smashed Waqas Maqsood for 27 runs, Wiese returned to haunt United again by delivering the final blow by defending the 8 runs in the last over of the match.

United were all out for 162 in 19.4 overs while chasing 169 to win. United run chase was jolted by a famous double-blow by Qalandars captain Shaheen Afridi as he removed Paul Stirling and Will Jack in the third over. United captain Shadab Khan was next to go as he was caught behind off Zaman Khan after scoring 14 runs off 8 balls that included a six and a four as United were reduced to 3-33. A run out of Liam Dawson further aggravated the situation for United as they were reduced to 46-4 soon.

However, Azam Khan and opener Alex Hales have other ideas as they took their team out of troubled waters by adding 79 runs for the fifth wicket partnership before another run out destabilized their innings. A brilliant direct through of Haris Rauf rattled the stumps and Azam was found well short of the crease. He scored 40 runs off 28 balls including three boundaries and two sixes.

Haris then removed Hales to give another opening to Qalandars as United were 130-6 in 15.1 overs, still needing another 39 runs off 29 balls with Asif Ali on the creases. However, they desperately missed the services of Fahim Ashraf whose presence could have easily won it for United.

Asif played a cautious innings off 25 of 22 balls before holing out it on long on off the last ball of the penultimate over bowled by Haris.

Wiese kept his cool to take the last two wickets in the last over by conceding only a single run during the light drizzle to win it for Qalandars.

Qalandars will now take on Multan Sultans in the final of the PSL at the same venue on Sunday.

Earlier, in a do or die match, the Lahore Qalandars posted a target of 169 for Islamabad United. When Qalandars came to bat, they were quite jittery. As they were two down for just 7. When they lost Zaman on 1 (3) and Phil Salt on 2 (7).

It was Kamran Ghulam and Abdullah Shafique, who reconstruct the Qalandars innings by putting a decent partnership of 73 runs. After this, Kamran Ghulam was removed by skipper of the United, Shadab Khan on 30 (26).

The highlight of the Qalandars innings was the way Abdullah Shafique batted, as the right handed batsman played a promising knock of 52 (28), as he clobbered fours boundaries and three sixes. He was removed on 93-4 by Waqas Maqsood.

While, Harry had to walk back to the pavilion, scoring only 2(2). Mohammad Hafeez tried his level best to smoke runs, but could manage to score 28 (28). As he left the crease on 135-6.

Later on Mohammad Wasim got rid of Samit Patel 21 (18), sub Mohammad Huraira caught a blinder, when the score was on 139.

But it was David Wiese, who scored a blinder 28 off just 8 balls, clobbered a boundary and three sixes in the last over of Waqas Maqsood.