Srinagar: Rolling back years and giving glimpse of what kind of talent he possessed, Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal on Sunday played quick cameo in the PSL 2023 for Quetta Gladiators against Islamabad United in Rawalpindi.
Umar Akmal smashed 43 runs off 14 balls at a strike-rate of 307.14. His knock included with two fours and five sixes.
On the back of his knock, the Gladiators posted a massive score of 179 for the loss of six wickets after being put in to bat first.
Akmal came to bat in the 17th over with the Gladiators’ score at 121 for the loss of five wickets in 16.1 overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi had dismissed the dangerous Mohammad Nawaz, who scored 52 runs off 44 balls with six fours.
Akmal started his knock with a massive six off Farooqi and followed it up with another six and a four. At the end of the 17th over, Akmal was batting on 17 off four. Farooqi leaked 18 runs off that over. Barring that over, Farooqi was exceptional after he finished with figures of 4-0-25-3.
In the 18th over, Akmal carted Hasan Ali for a huge six after which he laid into Faheem Ashraf in the 20th over of the innings. Ashraf was hit for two sixes and a four as he conceded 21 runs in the final over.
In the last ball, Ashraf bowled a low full-toss and Akmal smashed him for a six over the mid-wicket region. Along with Nawaz and Akmal, Najibullah Zadran also made a mark with a knock of 59 off 34 balls with five fours and three sixes.