Cutting, Roy keep Quetta Gladiators on top of PSL table

Quetta Gladiators pulled off PSL 2020's highest successful chase on the back of Ben Cutting's unbeaten 17-ball 42, that helped them chase Islamabad United's 188-run target in a five-wicket win. Cutting built on the efforts of Jason Roy and Sarfaraz Ahmed to ensure a result that kept Gladiators on top of the tournament points table.

When Sarfaraz Ahmed was out at the start of the 16th over, Gladiators needed a further 55 runs in 29 balls, but Cutting's two fours and four sixes, and a useful contribution from Mohammad Nawaz, sealed the win with two balls to spare.

After losing Shane Watson early in their chase, holing out to deep midwicket, the other Gladiators opener Jason Roy consolidated with a 38-ball 50 to keep the Gladiators' asking rate within reach.

Ahmed Shehzad entertained with two sixes off Shadab Khan but was out for a five-ball cameo of 12, stumped while trying a third big shot. Azam Khan did not last long either, bogged down by the spin of Ahmed Safi Abdullah and Shadab. Roy's six fours and two sixes, however, took Gladiators past the 100-run mark in the 12th over. He fell right after bringing up his fifty, when he struck Abdullah into the hands of long-off.

Sarfaraz, the Gladiators captain, then found the gap intermittently to hit 33 off 20 balls, but when he fell in the 16th over, the required run-rate was more than 11. That's when Cutting took charge, first collecting 11 off Rumman Raees' 17th over and then smacking 17 off Faheem Ashraf's 18th. That brought the equation down to 16 off 12 balls, and Cutting ended the game with two sixes in the 20th over to earn the side third win in four games.

After 14 overs, Islamabad United were cruising. At 140 for 4, Colin Ingram was on 42 while Asif Ali had just walked in. Asif caused some damage with two sixes off Mohammad Nawaz but three wickets in three overs deflated United's second-half flourish: they scored only 33 runs in the last five overs.

The innings had begun with Luke Ronchi crunching 11 runs off the first three deliveries to hand United a flying start but he was bowled by Naseem Shah in the second over. Dawid Malan followed Ronchi back two overs later, but Colin Munro held one end up hitting Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem to all parts. Munro fell inside the Powerplay, but by the time he was out, United were at 56 for 3 and positioned for a sizeable total.

United's No. 5 Ingram picked up from where Munro left off. His leg-side play saw many boundaries hitting the midwicket fence, and he anchored United's innings thereafter.

With six overs to go, they were prepared for a charge that could have taken United past 200, but the dismissals of Asif and Ashraf in quick succession exposed their lower order, forcing Ingram to change his approach. Despite 15 runs off the final over, which helped Ingram reach his 40th T20 fifty, all United could manage was 187. It turned out to be too little on a true batting surface.