PSL exhibition match: Iftikhar slams 6 sixes in an over
What's the story
Pakistan batter Iftikhar Ahmed entered the record books by smashing 6 sixes in an over on Sunday.
Iftikhar attained the feat during the special Pakistan Super League (PSL) exhibition match between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators at the Bugti Stadium in Quetta.
The Gladiators batter took senior pacer Wahab Riaz to the cleaners in the innings' final over.
Here are the stats.
Twitter Post
WATCH: Iftikhar smacks Riaz all around the ground
Iftikhar Ahmed smashing 6 sixes in an over off Wahab Riaz at today's exhibition match at Bugti Stadium #Cricket pic.twitter.com/AdYF4krtPh
— Saj Sadiq (@SajSadiqCricket) February 5, 2023
Match
Iftikhar finished with a bang!
The Gladiators were 148/5 before the start of the 20th over after the Babar Azam-led Zalmi elected to field.
Iftikhar was batting at 58*(44) at that time. However, he shifted gears and cleared the fence on each delivery of the final over.
The right-hander finally finished with 94 off just 50 balls. He guided the Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Gladiators to 184/5.
Halt
A massive blast stops match
According to Times Now, a massive blast in Quetta forced the suspension of the PSL exhibition match.
The bomb blast was reported from the city's Musa Chowk, which is roughly 15-20 minutes away from the Bugti Stadium, where the special match was underway.
The game was reportedly organized to bring PSL action to the city.
At least five people were injured, Dawn reported.
Information
Gladiators win by three runs; Iftikhar takes two wickets
The match resumed after a brief period, and it turned out to be a nail-biter. The Gladiators stole a three-run win, restricting Zalmi to 181/7. Iftikhar, the hero of the first innings, managed to shine with the ball too by taking two wickets.
Iftikhar
Who is Iftikhar Ahmed?
Iftikhar, a middle-order batter, made his international debut in 2015 in an ODI against England.
He has represented Pakistan in four Tests, 10 ODIs, and 43 T20Is.
While Iftikhar hasn't done much in ODIs and Tests, he owns 654 runs in the shortest format at an average of 26.16. His T20I strike rate reads 125.04.
Iftikhar, also an off-spinner, owns 13 international wickets.
Riaz
One of Pakistan's greatest left-arm seamers
Having made his international debut in 2008, Wahab powered Pakistan's bowling attack with his monumental spells.
His jeopardizing spells from the 2015 ICC World Cup made headlines.
However, inconsistency and fitness issues affected his performance eventually.
Wahab, who last played international cricket in 2020, is the leading wicket-taker of the PSL (103).
The left-arm seamer was recently named the caretaker Sports Minister of Punjab.
PSL
Key details of PSL 2023
The PSL 2023 is set to commence on February 13. Multan Sultans will host defending champions Lahore Qalandars in a rematch of the 2022 final in the tournament opener.
Notably, the 2023 edition will be hosted across four venues - Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, and Multan.
Quetta and Peshawar won't have any home fixtures since their venues are not ready to host high-profile matches.