Twitter Reactions: Lahore Qalandars thump Quetta Gladiators by 63 runs to climb to second spot

The reigning champions Lahore Qalandars returned to winning ways with a 63-run triumph over Quetta Gladiators in the 10th match of the Pakistan Super League 2023 on Tuesday (February 21). Shai Hope's 47 off 32 and a quickfire unbeaten 32 from Sikandar Raza helped the Qalandars post 198/6 while batting first. Then Shaheen Afridi and David Wiese shone with a ball to earn a deserving win for the Qalandars in their third match of the season. 

After a four-wicket defeat against Peshawar Zalmi, the Gladiators' skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to field at the National Bank Arena in Karachi. They remained unchanged while the Qalandars replaced Liam Dawson with the world no.1 T20I bowler Rashid Khan, who missed the opening two matches due to national duties. 

Sarfaraz's decision to bowl first backfired with youngster Mirza Baig smashing two fours and a six to Mohammad Hafeez in the first over. Baig pulled off a quick 49-run stand for the first wicket in just 27 balls to put some early pressure on the Gladiators. 

Odean Smith gave the Gladiators an opening with Fakhar's wicket in the fifth over while Baig smashed 31 off just 15 before following Fakahar to the pavilion in the next over. Hope and Kamran Ghulam then put in a 56-run partnership for the third wicket to keep the scorecard moving. 

Hope top-scored with 47 off 32 and Raza added 32 off just 16 to pull off a big total for the Qalandars. Odean and Qais Ahmad took two wickets each but Naseem Shah and Hafeez proved costly with their spell for the Gladiators.

Shaheen Afridi, David Wiese boost Qalandars to second position

The Qalandars skipper Shaheen Afridi dismissed Abdul Bangalzai for a golden duck in the innings' first over to give his team a dream start. However, ;ast match's centurion Martin Guptill and Jason Roy added a crucial 47 runs for the second wicket to keep the Gladiators alive in the chase.

David Wiese dismissed Guptill in the seventh over and Rashid bowled out Roy in 10th over to put the Qalandars in a driving seat. Roy top-scored with 48 off 30 and Hafeez added 25 off 22, but the rest of the Gladiators batting lineup struggled throughout the evening.

Afridi strike back in the death overs with two more wickets and finished the game with 3/22 while Wiese also managed to get three wickets to restrict the Gladiators to just 135/8. The defeat has pushed the Gladiators to the bottom of the table with just two points from three games, while the Qalandars have jumped to the second position with four points in three matches.

Here is how Twitter reacted: