ISLAMABAD: England’s batter Sam Billings, representing Lahore Qalandars, amazed fans during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 by breaking a long-standing record previously held by Umar Akmal.
Billings delivered an outstanding performance against Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi, recording the fastest half-century in the history of the Lahore Qalandars franchise.
He reached the milestone in just 19 deliveries, surpassing Umar Akmal’s 2016 record of a 22-ball fifty, which he set during the inaugural season of the PSL, according to Cricket Pakistan.
While Billings now holds the record for the quickest fifty by a Lahore Qalandars player, the overall fastest fifty in PSL history remains jointly held by Asif Ali and Rilee Rossouw, both of whom achieved the feat in just 17 balls.
Lahore Qalandar’s win
In the match, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and chose to bat first, putting up an imposing total of 219 for 6.
In response, Quetta Gladiators faltered in their chase and were bowled out for 140 in the 17th over, resulting in a comprehensive 79-run victory for Lahore.
This triumph was particularly crucial for Lahore Qalandars, who were eager to rebound after a defeat in their opening fixture against Islamabad United.
In another match, Babar Azam, captain of Peshawar Zalmi, found himself in the spotlight for an unfortunate reason.
He was dismissed by Mohammad Amir without scoring, setting an undesirable record during his side’s clash with Quetta Gladiators in Rawalpindi.
Quetta Gladiators posted a commanding total of 217, and in reply, Peshawar Zalmi collapsed for just 136 in 15.1 overs, suffering an 80-run loss.
Mohammad Haris managed only 13 runs, while Tom Kohler-Cadmore also fell for a duck.
