The match was played at National Stadium, Karachi
26 February, 2021
PHOTO COURTESY: PCB
Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by three wickets after a high-scoring thriller on Friday at National Stadium, Karachi.
Chasing a target of 199, Usman Shinwari struck early for Quetta as he dismissed the dangerous Kamran Akmal for 3.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore started from where he left off in last game, as he scored a boundary in his second delivery at the crease. But the Englishman’s stay was cut short as he was caught by Cutting at 4, handing Steyn his first wicket this season.
At the other end, Imam ul Haq and Haider Ali took on Usman Shinwari and scored 16 runs of his second over. The duo stitched a fifty run partnership in only 29 balls, keeping Zalmi up with the required run rate.
Zahid Mehmood broke the aforementioned partnership in the 10th over as Imam was clean bowled for 41.
Veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik came in next who took his time to get set, whereas Haider continued to accelerate as asking rate kept climbing.
Usman Shinwari conceded 16 runs in his third over as well as Haider took full advantage against the left-arm pacer.
With Zalmi needing 80 from 7 overs, Malik decided to change his gear as well as he smacked Zahid Mehmood for a six and boundary on consecutive deliveries. Steyn struck gold after returning to the attack as he removed Haider Ali, who had brought up his fifty in 28 balls in the previous over.
Zalmi needed their most senior batsman to step up but Malik was trapped lbw for 34 by Cutting.
Sherfane Rutherford hit two consecutive sixes off Mohammad Hasnain in the 18th overs to take the game close, as Zalmi needed 27 runs more from last 2 overs.
If that wasn’t enough, Wahab and Sherfane hit 3 sixes in Steyn’s over next to bring the equation to 6 runs in the last over.
Hasnain struck gold in his first ball of the last over as he clean bowled Wahab Riaz for 20. Saqib Mehmood sacrificed his wicket on the next delivery after a mix up in the middle, leaving Zalmi needing 6 runs from 4 balls.
Hasnain had a shocker next ball as he gave five wides to level the score, before Sherfane finished the match with a boundary, remaining unbeaten on 36.
Earlier, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Azam Khan’s 105-run partnership helped Quetta Gladiators reach 198-7 against Peshawar Zalmi, after being asked to bat first.
Saim Ayub attacked Mujeebur Rehman from the get go as the emerging batsman hit the Afghanistan spinner for back to back boundaries in his first over.
After a flying start from Saim, Peshawar struck back as Mohammad Imran removed Delport early for two.
Saim was then joined by Chris Gayle’s replacement, Faf du Plessis, who kept the scoreboard ticking with quick singles and boundaries in the powerplay.
With the partnership brewing, Peshawar got a lucky break as a direct hit from Rutherford ended Saim’s stay at the crease.
Meanwhile, skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed made his intentions clear as he raced to 24 from his first 10 deliveries, taking Quetta to 87-2 at the end of 10 overs.
Faf du Plessis tried to up the ante but was outfoxed by a cutter from Wahab Riaz and was caught by Mujeeb for 37.
Sarfaraz was joined by hard-hitting batsman Azam Khan and the Karachi-born duo provided much-needed acceleration to Quetta innings as they brought up the fifty-run partnership in only 30 balls.
Sarfaraz completed his first fifty in PSL this season in only 31 balls, as he hit a hat-rick of boundaries against Mohammad Imran in the 18th over.
After Imran, Sarfaraz took a liking to Wahab as he dispatched the Zalmi captain to all corners in the 19th over before getting caught at long on for 81.
Saqib Mehmood removed Azam Khan (47), Ben Cutting and Mohammad Nawaz in his last over, but couldn’t stop Quetta from registering the highest total, 198/7, this season.
