PSL 2020: Match 1, Quetta Gladiators vs Islamabad United – Hasnain's maiden T20 4-fer, Quetta’s hat-trick win over Islamabad and more stats

Defending champions Quetta Gladiators kick-started the 2020 PSL with a 3-wicket victory against the Islamabad United in the tournament opener. Islamabad lost Colin Munro on the very first ball of the match but Dawid Malan continued his rich batting form in T20s with a 40-ball 64. From 106/2 in 11 overs, Islamabad crumbled to 168 as Mohammad Hasnain claimed a 4-wicket haul.

Quetta were three down for 26 runs inside five overs during the chase. However, Azam Khan scored 59 from only 33 balls with five fours and three maximums. Partnerships by the middle and lower order helped the Gladiators complete the chase with 9 balls and three wickets to spare.

All the statistical highlights from Quetta’s 3-wicket win against Islamabad in the tournament opener:

Quetta’s hat-trick over Islamabad:

3 – This was Quetta Gladiators’ 3rd consecutive win over Islamabad United in the PSL. The Gladiators defeated United in both the league matches during the previous edition – by 7 wickets in Dubai, by 43 runs in Abu Dhabi.

4-6 – Islamabad United now has lost six out of the 10 PSL matches against the Quetta Gladiators. These are the most number of losses in the PSL for Islamabad against an opponent.

A big chase by Gladiators:

169 – Quetta’s 169-run chase in this match is the 2nd highest successful PSL chase for any team against Islamabad United. The highest successful PSL chase against United was recorded by Peshawar Zalmi who chased down 177 in the 2019 season match.

Malan extends his good record against Quetta:

3 – Dawid Malan is now the first player with three fifty-plus scores in the PSL against the Quetta Gladiators. Across five PSL games against Quetta, Malan aggregated 215 runs at an average of 53.75. He is the 8th player in the Pakistan’s T20 League with three or more 50+ scores against an opponent. Only, Kamran (4 vs Karachi Kings) has more than three fifty-plus scores against any opposition in the league history thus far.

A match-winning knock from Azam Khan:

59 – Azam Khan’s 59-run knock is now the highest score in the PSL for Quetta Gladiators while batting at No.5 or lower position. Sarfaraz Ahmed scored an unbeaten 56 while batting at No.5 during a run-chase against Karachi Kings in the 2017 edition.

Hasnain delivers for Quetta:

4/25 – Mohammad Hasnain’s 4/25 is now the 5th 4-wicket haul in the PSL for Quetta Gladiators. Three of the five 4-fers by Quetta came against Islamabad United only.

1 – This was Hasnain’s maiden 4-wicket haul in his 24-match Twenty20 career. His previous best figures were 3/30 during the last year’s PSL final against Peshawar Zalmi. Hasnain won the player of the match award in that game as well.

A tough day with the ball for Amad and Shadab:

46 – Runs Shadab Khan conceded during the 3.3 overs he bowled in this game; the most runs he ever conceded in a PSL game. Shadab also conceded 46 runs in the 4 overs he bowled during the 2019 season game against Peshawar Zalmi.

50 – Amad Butt became only the 2nd player to concede in a PSL match while representing Islamabad United. Faheem Ashraf gave away 53 runs in the 2018 season game against Karachi Kings.

Watson goes past Rossouw:

764 – Shane Watson has scored 764 runs in the Pakistan Super League for the Quetta Gladiators; the 2nd most PSL runs for the franchise by any player behind Ahmed Shehzad’s 850. Watson is now Quetta’s leading run-getter among overseas players surpassing Rilee Rossouw’s 750 runs. The South African played for Gladiators between 2017 and 2019 before moving to Multan Sultans.