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[Watch] Shadab Khan & Agha Salman's Stunning Sixes Clinch Thrilling Win; Shaheen Afridi Pays The Price

image-lsr34wisShadab Khan led Islamabad United to a win (AP Photo)

Islamabad United, led by an explosive partnership between captain Shadab Khan and Salman Ali Agha, clinched a spectacular eight-wicket victory over the defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the pulsating opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2024 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.


Shadab, Salman's heroic sixes swung PSL 2024 opener in Islamabad's favour

The duo combined forces in a thrilling display of batting, stitching together a 138-run stand that propelled Islamabad United to chase down a huge target of 196 with remarkable ease. The match, played on a batting-friendly track, witnessed United's top-order wobble early, losing openers Colin Munro and Alex Hales with just 62 runs on the board.

However, Shadab, in a bold move, promoted himself to number three, joining forces with Salman to turn the tide in United's favour. Their partnership was filled with aggressive stroke-making, punctuated by moments of sheer brilliance.

Shadab Khan's unbeaten knock of 74 off 41 balls, with six fours and five sixes, was a masterclass in chasing under pressure. Salman complemented him perfectly, scoring a brisk 64 not out off 31 deliveries, including seven fours and three sixes. Their partnership was not without its moments of fortune, though; Shadab was dropped twice, once by Qalandars' captain Shaheen Shah Afridi and then by Sahibzada Farhan, giving United crucial reprieves.

The chase reached its climax when Salman dispatched Shaheen Afridi for a massive six over deep backward square leg, bringing the equation down from 12 runs needed off 16 balls to 6 off 15 balls. Shadab then put the finishing touches on the win, cracking a six off leg-spinner Salman Fayyaz over long-on, sealing the victory with 10 balls to spare and demonstrating United's batting brilliance.

Earlier in the evening, Lahore Qalandars had set a challenging total of 195 for five, thanks to belligerent half-centuries from Farhan and Rassie van der Dussen.

However, their efforts were overshadowed by the stellar chase produced by Shadab and Salman, whose partnership not only guided Islamabad United to a commanding win but also set a high standard for the matches to come in PSL 2024.