PSL 2023: Islamabad United defeat Quetta Gladiators

Islamabad United triumphed over Quetta Gladiators by 63 runs in the 13th match of the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Bank Cricket Arena on Friday, after Gladiators failed to chase the mammoth target of 221 runs set for them.

After the victory, United’s points on the points table increased from four to six, securing their place at the second spot on the points table, after Multan Sultan.

Playing XIs:

Quetta Gladiators: Martin Guptill, Jason Roy, Will Smeed, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Odean Smith, Iftikhar Ahmed, Aimal Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah.

Islamabad United: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Colin Munro, Rassie van der Dussen, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Asif Ali, Mubasir Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fazalhaq Farooqui, Hasan Ali.

Read more: PSL 2023: Afghan spinner Rashid Khan joins Lahore Qalandars

Punjab ‘against spending’ on PSL matches

Punjab interim Chief Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi has said that the provincial cabinet is against taking up the task of spending money for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches scheduled to take place in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

“Last year, Rs600 million were spent on security arrangements for PSL matches in Punjab,” Naqvi told journalists during a media talk in Lahore on Friday, as speculations are rife about the rest of the matches being shifted to Karachi altogether.

“Since we are an interim setup, we don’t have the authority to spend such a heavy amount. The cabinet is also against such an expenditure,” the caretaker chief minister noted.

The development came after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gave an ultimatum to the Punjab government over holding the PSL season eight matches in the province.