UAE- Nawaz shines for Gladiators in PSL
The Pakistan Super League got off to a 'slow' start. Well those who were anticipating fireworks from the batsmen were left disappointed as 21-year-old left-arm slow orthodox bowler Mohammed Nawaz announced his arrival on the big stage with a superlative display in the opening match of the T20 championship at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Thursday. After a delayed start (the match was supposed to get underway at 9pm but it wasn't until 9:30pm that the first ball was bowled) it was the brilliance of the Rawalpindi-born Nawaz that left the fancied Islamabad United in tatters. Put into bat Islamabad were in all sorts of trouble against Quetta Gladiators. At one stage they were 63/6 (14.2 overs) and it seemed the Misbah-Ul Haq led team would not even reach the 100-mark. Andre Russell one of the many West Indian T20 stars featuring in the inaugural edition of the PSL came to the rescue as his unbeaten 20-ball 35 (four fours two sixes) and his 57-run partnership off 25 balls with captain Misbah (41 28 balls four fours one six) eventually gave their bowlers something to bowl at. Their final total of 128 for seven may not be enough on a pretty decent wicket to bat but they saved themselves from the embarrassment of having a ridiculous score on the board. Mohammad Nawaz receiving Man of the match award from CM Balochistan & najamsethi. #HBLPSL #AbKhelKeDikha pic.twitter.com/400t7m3bX4 - PakistanSuperLeague (thePSLt20) February 4 2016 Nawaz (4-0-13-4) was brilliant at the start. After the veteran spinner Zulfiqar Babar struck in the fifth over by removing Sarjeel Khan (10) Umar Gul put Islmabad under more pressure by sending back Umar Amin for a duck.
It was then that the Nawaz show started. The youngster kept on attacking the wickets while never missing a chance to show his ability to turn the ball. The prospects are alluring for Pakistan as Nawaz has already made his mark in their domestic cricket as a quality all-rounder. Here under the famous Ring of Fire in Dubai it was his bowling skills that left everyone mesmerized. Of course Nawaz was also helped by some poor shot selection from the rival batsmen. Shane Watson (15) Babar Azam (15) Sam Billings (2) and Imran Khalid (4) would probably feel that they threw their wickets away. But Nawaz always kept them on their toes with his guile and maturity as he eventually induced those mistakes from them.
There was not a single false stroke though from Russell as he launched a stunning counter attack with the experienced Misbah at the other end to give Islamabad some hope.
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