ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi successfully chased a 155-run target set by Quetta Gladiators with nine balls to go at the end of the ninth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi on Monday.
The win means Peshawar are now at number two on the PSL points table, right behind table-toppers Multan Sultans. Currently, Karachi Kings are at number two with only 2 points and a net run rate of +0.499.
During Monday's chase, Peshawar Zalmi scored 12 runs in the first over, while Muhammad Nawaz, who came to bowl the second over, conceded four boundaries, allowing Peshawar to get to 29 runs in just two overs. However, Muhammad Hasnain then dismissed Mohammad Haris for 18 runs, and Saim Ayub was dismissed on the first ball as Peshawar Zalmi lost another wicket for 29 runs.
Two overs later he picked his third wicket when he dismissed Tom Kohler Cadmore for just nine runs.
Skipper Babar Azam was dismissed after scoring 19 runs by Muhammad Nawaz, with Peshawar Zalmi losing its fourth wicket for 67 runs.
James Neesham and Rovman Powell had a partnership of 46 runs, which was broken on 113 runs when Naseem Shah bowled Powell for 36 runs. James Neesham and Dasun Shanaka negotiated Naseem Shah and Muhammad Hasnain’s over and reached 120 after 14 overs, needing 35 off the last six overs.
Earlier, a fighting half-century by Quetta Gladiators batter Iftikhar Ahmed ensured his team put up a defendable total of 154-4 against Peshawar Zalmi.
The Gladiators were dealt an early blow when both of their openers, Martin Guptill and Jason Roy, were dismissed in quick succession. Guptill scored 12 from 16 balls while Roy made 14 from 23 before he was clean-bowled by leg-spinner Usman Qadir.
Qadir struck again when he removed Muhammad Nawaz who scored only 2 runs, trapping him lbw. Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and Iftikhar Ahmed both put on an impressive 74-run partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking.
However, the Gladiators' skipper was clean-bowled by Arshad Iqbal when he was on 39. It was Iftikhar Ahmed who kept the Gladiators' boat afloat, scoring an unbeaten 50 from 34 balls in an innings that included four huge sixes and two boundaries.
Odean Smith's late blitz also helped the Gladiators finish at 155-4 at the end of 20 overs. He scored 25 runs from 12 balls.
Qadir was the pick of the bowlers for Zalmi, finishing with figures of 2/26 while Iqbal and James Neesham also grabbed one scalp each. Dasun Shanaka was the most expensive Zalmi bowler, going for 22 runs from the two overs he bowled.
Quetta Gladiators Playing XI: Sarfaraz Ahmed, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Odean Smith, Iftikhar Ahmed, Martin Guptill, Wahid Bangulzai, Jason Roy, Qais Ahmed
Peshawar Zalmi Playing XI: Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka, Jimmy Neesham, Wahab Riaz, Usman Qadir, Arshad Iqbal, Sufyan Muqeem
