Sameer, Shadab help Islamabad United taste first win in PSL 11

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Apr, 2026) Unbeaten half-centuries by young opener Sameer Minhas and all-round performance by captain Shadab Khan helped Islamabad United cruise past Quetta Gladiators with 10 balls to spare as they recorded their first win the Pakistan Super League 11 at the Gaddafi stadium on Thursday.

In a record third wicket partnership of 128 runs off 69 balls for Islamabad United, Sameer Minhas scored unbeaten 82 (48) with eight boundaries and three 6s while Shadab Khan hit 69 (39) comprising five boundaries and fours 6s. Shadab also produced the best bowling figures of the match as he claimed three wickets for 23 runs and was instrumental in restricting Gladiators to 183-5 off the stipulated 20 overs. Shadab was adjudged Player of the Match for his all-round math-winning performance.

Sameer Minhas kept up to his reputation and smashed his maiden half-century of the PSL and mesmerized the audiences with his stroke-play. Islamabad moved up to fourth in the table with three points, just behind third-placed Peshawar Zalmi who edge them on net run rate.

With United 61 for two in 6.5 overs after Abrar struck to remove Devon Conway (18, 19b, 2x4s, 1x6) and Andries Gous (2, 4b) in his successive overs, Shadab stitched an unbeaten match-winning 128-run partnership for the third wicket with Sameer to take their side home.

The duo took some time to settle in before striking 22 off Tom Curran in the 12th over. Sameer bagged a boundary off the first ball while Shadab hit two fours and a six.

At 113 for two after 13 overs, Shadab and Sameer ran riot, producing 76 runs off the next 5.2 overs, taking their side home comfortably.

Shadab struck Usman Tariq for a six in the 14th over that gained 12 runs before hitting another six and a boundary off Ahmed Daniyal in the next, an over that gained 16 runs.

The duo thumped another six and a boundary off Usman in the 13-run 16th over, before doing the same to Abrar in the next one, getting 14 runs.

Sameer brought an end to the contest in style as he hit Ahmed for a six over fine leg in the 19th over.

Sameer shone with 82 off 48 balls; his highest maiden half-century in all competitive cricket, aided by eight fours and three sixes.

Shadab backed his bowling performance as he struck five fours and four sixes in his 39-ball 69 not out.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators had recovered from a precarious position courtesy an unbeaten 90-run partnership between Hasan Nawaz and Tom Curran to post 183 for five.

With Quetta 93 for five after 11.5 overs, top-scorer Hasan Nawaz and Tom Curran rebuilt the innings with a steady rotation of strike as the duo gathered 16 runs off the next three overs.

The pair then broke the shackles, plundering 21 runs off the 16th over of the innings bowled by Imad Wasim, with Hasan and Curran striking a four and a six each.

The two then ransacked 20 runs off the penultimate over, before scoring another 11 off the last to lift their side to a fighting total.

Batting first, captain Saud Shakeel and Shamyl Hussain provided an explosive start, racing to 50 in 26 balls. Shamyl fell for 21 off 15 in the fifth over, caught off Salman Irshad's back-of-a-length delivery.

Saud continued fluently, striking three fours and three sixes in a classy 42 off 26 before Shadab had him caught at backward point via a leading edge.

Shadab then brought his side back into the contest as he clean-bowled Ben McDermott and followed it up next ball by having debutant Bevon Jacobs caught and bowled for a golden duck.

Khawaja Mohammad Nafay had already fallen to Imad Wasim moments earlier and in the space of 14 balls, Quetta had crumbled from 71 for two to 93 for five.

Scores in brief:

Islamabad United beat Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Quetta Gladiators 183-5, 20 overs (Hasan Nawaz 66 not out, Saud Shakeel 42, Tom Curran 29 not out, Shamyl Hussain 21; Shadab Khan 3-23)

Islamabad United 189-2, 18.2 overs (Sameer Minhas 82 not out, Shadab Khan 69 not out; Abrar Ahmed 2-29).