San Francisco Unicorns through to qualifier after beating Lahore Qalandars

San Francisco Unicorns are through to the qualifier in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) T20 after beating Lahore Qalandars by seven wickets on Wednesday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

The outcome means Unicorns, who finished second on the table with four points, will play third placed Desert Vipers in Friday’s qualifier from 7pm. Despite also finishing on four points, Qalandars ended fourth via net run rate.

The winner of the qualifier will face defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors- atop the table on six points and unbeaten after three games- in Saturday’s final from 7pm. In Match Nine, Qalandars opted to bat first and made 152-6, a total that proved inadequate as Unicorns won with 28 balls to spare.

Skipper Hassan Khan led the successful run-chase for Unicorns with a responsible, unbeaten 53 featuring five towering sixes and two fours from 33 balls.

Unicorns got the chase cracking with a steady, 45-run opening stand between Connor Esterhuizen and Tim Robinson scoring 29 and 21 respectively. Khan and Oliver Peake also kept the momentum going with their 49-run partnership before Peake was comprehensively bowled by Shamim Hossain for 27 at 116-3 in the 12th over.

​Hammad Azam helped formalise the result with 18 not out, hitting two fours and a six.

Earlier, Qalandar’s prolific opener Shayan Jahangir struck a blistering 61, his second fifty of the tournaments, to set up a solid foundation. The right-hander struck four maximums and two four in his 50-ball innings.

​His opening partner Shamyl Hossain contributed 36 before left-arm spinner Callum Stow picked up four of the six wickets to fall to halt Qalandars’ progress towards the end.

​Mohammad Naeem (18), Parvez Hossain Emon (9) and skipper Michael Bracewell (10) departed in quick succession as Stow ended with spectacular figures of 4-25 across his four overs to cop the Player-of-the-Match award.