Jason Roy shatters career-best in unbeaten 145 to take Quetta Gladiators to record win

Roy smashed 20 fours and five sixes as Babar Azam's own century was reduced to a footnote at the end of a thrilling run-fest

Rawalpindi: Peshawar Zalmi 240-2, Quetta Gladiators 243-2 - Quetta Gladiators win by eight wickets

Jason Roy hit a remarkable century as Quetta Gladiators came out on top in a record-tumbling run-fest between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi.

Roy smashed the sixth T20 hundred of his career – and his highest individual score – as Quetta reeled off the biggest successful run-chase in Pakistan Super League history.

Roy's unbeaten 145 off 63 balls was also the highest individual score in the PSL's eight-year existence.

His effort overshadowed a ton for Babar Azam in the first innings as Peshawar compiled what they assumed would be more than enough to pick up a fifth win of the season. Babar hit 15 fours and three sixes in making 115 off 65 balls, but his innings would only be a footnote.

Saim Ayub provided impeccable support, hammering 74 in double-quick time as the pair put on 162 for the first wicket in just 13.3 overs. Rovman Powell (35) then put the icing on the cake for Zalmi, who could not have been prepared for what came back at them.

^{Roy made the highest T20 score of his career at Rawalpindi (Aamir Qureshi/AFP via Getty Images)}

When Will Smeed was the second man out for Gladiators, caught at deep midwicket in one of four wickets to fall on the night, the score was 150 for 2 in the 12th over – Smeed had made 26 of them, Martin Guptill 21 off eight.

But Roy, who made a hundred for England in their ODI win over Bangladesh only last week, was the star of the show as Quetta somehow galloped home with time to spare.

No bowler was spared – Wahab Riaz conceded 56 runs in his four overs, while Arshad Iqbal's three overs went for 55 – in a sensational onslaught that included all of his calling cards, peaking with a driven six over extra cover.

He was aided towards the finishing line by Mohammad Hafeez (41*), whose cameo took some of the pressure off the England opener, but there was little sense that he needed a helping hand on a terrific night for the 32-year-old, who in recent weeks has suggested that the form that deserted him in 2022 might just be on the way back, with a 50-over World Cup around the corner.

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