Rashid Khan departs PSL with Qalandars on top of table

Sussex Sharks Vitality Blast overseas star, Rashid Khan has departed this year’s Pakistan Super League to join up with the Afghanistan team for their Test and T20I series against Zimbabwe in United Arab Emirates next month.

The leg-spinner still had time to make his mark for Lahore Qalandars in their opening two matches of the tournament. After a fantastically economical bowling performance and an important batting cameo in the side’s opening fixture, Rashid picked up the vital wicket of Chris Gayle and went at just 7.5 runs per over when the Qalandars took on Quetta Gladiators on Monday.

Gayle was on 68 from just 40 balls and threatening to take Quetta to a mammoth score, when Rashid bowled the West Indian legend in the 15th over to make it 118-4. The Sharks other Blast overseas player, David Wiese, bowled two wicketless overs for 22 runs as Gladiators finished on 178 for 6.

That turned out to be nowhere near enough, with the Qalandars reaching their target for the loss of just one wicket and with ten balls to spare. Rashid leaves with Lahore top of the group and one of two teams – alongside Islamabad United – to have won both their opening fixtures.

Islamabad’s second match was against reigning champions Karachi Kings on Wednesday, with Sussex Phil Salt keeping wicket and opening the batting for United. The Kings batted first and made what looked like an imposing 196 for 3, with Phil keeping tidily. United made light work of the chase, however, knocking off the runs with five wickets and five balls to spare. It wasn’t Phil’s day with the bat, as he was dismissed for a second-ball duck.

Ravi Bopara is the other Sussex player involved in this year’s PSL, but he was rested from Peshawar Zalmi’s second match against Multan Sultans on Tuesday with a slight niggle. Despite missing their top-scorer from their opening match, the Zalmi won by six-wickets to go fourth at this early stage.

David Wiese and Lahore Qalandars play their first match without Rashid Khan against Multan Sultans on Friday before taking on Karachi Kings on Sunday. Ravi Bopara will hope to be back in action when Peshawar play Quetta Gladiators on Friday and when they take on Phil Salt’s Islamabad United on Saturday.