RAWALPINDI: After a poor start to their HBL Pakistan Super League campaign, Lahore Qalandars needed inspiration to stage a comebaclc.

And rose to the occassion their senior pros; skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi and opener Fakhar Zaman.

After Fakhar`s half century led the Qalandars to a big total, Shaheen showed his magic with the ball along with leg-spinner Rishad Hossain to subject Quetta Gladiators to a 79-run drubbing with more than three overs to spare here at the Rawalpindi CricketStadiumonSunday.

Chasing a daunting 220, Quetta Gladiators were bundled out for 140 in 16.2 overs, thanks to Shaheen`s 2-6 and Rishad`s 3-31.

Quetta`s innings unraveled early as Shaheen struck in the first over, dismissing captain Saud Shakeel, caught by Fakhar at mid-on after a mistimed tuck.

Spinner Asif Afridi compounded the woes in the second over, removing Hasan Nawaz, thanks to a diving catch by Sikandar Raza at cover, leaving Quetta at 3-2. Finn Allen`s duck followed off Shaheen`s off-cutter, reducing them to9-3 in the third over.

Kusal Mendis (28 off 14, three fours, two sixes) and Rilee Rossouw (44 off 19, four fours and as many sixes) offered a glimmer of hope with a 45-run stand.

Mendis` lofted six off Asif and Rossouw`s 20-run onslaught against Jahandad Khan, including two sixes and a four, briefly revived Quetta. However, Haris Rauf halted Mendis` charge in the sixth over, inducing a faint edge to keeper Sam Billings, leaving Quetta at 54-4.

Rossouw`s aggressive knock, featuring a pulled six off Rishad, ended in the ninth over, bowled by the spinner`s sharp googly, triggering a collapse at 89-5. Shoaib Malik (14 off 15) and Akeal Hosein (13 off 12) steadied briefly, but Raza`s double strike in the 12th over Malik caught at short third and Hosein pouched by a backpedaling Shaheen at cover left Quetta reeling at 107-7.

Rishad dismantled the tail, bowling Mohammad Amir and dismissing Abrar Ahmed (2-20), reducing Quetta to 114before Faheem Ashraf`s 21 off 18 (three fours and a six) delayed the inevitable, but Asif Afridi sealed the rout in the 17th over, bowling him with a full, straight delivery.Earlier, Lahore Qalandars powered their way to an imposing 215-6 in 20 overs, propelled by Fakhar`sdynamic67,Mitchell`s brisl( 37, and a blazing 54 not out off 19 balls from Sam Billings.

The innings, marked by aggressive strokeplay and clever improvisation, capitalised on Quetta`s inconsistent bowling to set a formidable target.

Quetta opted to bowl first, but Lahore`s openers, Fakhar and Mohammad Naeem, started strongly,racing to 16-0 in two overs.

Fakhar`s flicked four off spinner Hosein set the tone, while Naeem`s two boundaries added flair.

Naeem`s 10 off seven ended in the third over, bowled by Abrar`s cunning variation, leaving Lahore at 18-1.

Abdullah Shafique joined Fakhar, accelerating with three fours off pacer Amir in the fourth over and a six off Faheem in the sixth, reaching 60-1 at the powerplay`s end.

Abdullah`s fluent 37 off 21 was cut short by Hosein`scaught-and-bowled in the eighth over, bringing Mitchell to the crease.

Fal(har and Mitchell forged a 79-run stand, with Fakhar reaching his fifty off 30 balls and Mitchell striking two fours and a six off Faheem. Fakhar`s innings, laced with seven fours and three sixes, ended in the 15th over, caught at cow corner off Hosein. Mitchell being stumped off Abrar`s clever wide delivery later in the same over, left Lahore at 153-3.

Billings tool< charge,forming a rapid 59-run stand with Raza, who fell to Usman Tarig`s sharp spin in the 17th over. Shaheen`s brief stay ended via Faheem`s yorker in the 19th over, but Billings unleashed carnage, smashing four fours and four sixes. His back-to-back sixes off Faheem in the final overone a flat hit over mid-wicket sealed the fastest fifty by a Qalandars batter as the side accumulated a total that proved more than enough at the end.