PSL: Islamabad pip Quetta in thriller

Dubai - Misbah's side win by 1 run to make the play-offs of the Pakistan Super League

Defending champions Islamabad conjured the greatest of escapes to overturn a losing game into a winning one. Out of the contest for most part of it, veteran Mohammad Sami's brilliant over saw Misbah-ul-Haq's men edge a one-run win off the last ball, over Quetta Gladiators in the 17th match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday night.
Kevin Pietersen (69) and opener Ahmed Shehzad (59) had set the Gladiators on the road but they couldn't quite finish it off.
Earlier, young gun Hussain Talat scored a half-century as defending champions Islamabad United posted 165 for 6.
Southpaw Talat, one of the emerging players in their squad, belied his age to score a mature knock of 56 from 39 deliveries. His knock was studded with six boundaries and two sixes.
Islamabad United had a horrendous start with opener Dwayne Smith gone for nought, after sending left-arm spinner Zulfiqar Babar down Mohammad Nawaz's throat at long-off.
Then, the young and the old paired up to put the defending champions back on track. Talat teamed up with veteran Rafatullah Mohmand, a prolific run-getter on Pakistan's domestic circuit, to forge a 60-run partnership for the second wicket.
Mohmand earned a reprieve when on 13 after Rilee Rossouw spilled him at deep square leg off pacer Anwar Ali. But that slip up wasn't to be costly as he was caught by Babar at third man, off Thisara Perera, for 17.
Captain Misbah-ul-Haq joined forces with Talat after which the latter moved to his half-century with a six off left-arm spinner Hassaan Khan. Talat followed that up with a boundary off the next ball, whipping a full toss off his pads.
But the southpaw's stay ended when he was gobbled up by Perera at long-off, off Babar, for 56.
Misbah-ul-Haq and Aussie veteran Brad Haddin then added 41 for the fourth wicket before Haddin holed out to Anwar Ali at long-off, with Hassaan Khan being the bowler. Haddin made 22 from 16 balls with three boundaries.
Misbah was the next to go after making a run-a-ball 25 with a lone six after which Shane Watson and Shadab Khan extended Islamabad United's total.
Watson swished his bat for a 16-ball 29 with the help of two boundaries and two sixes and also put on 30 runs for the sixth wicket with Shadab Khan, to swell Islamabad United's total.
james@khaleejtimes.com