PSL 2023: Neesham guides Peshawar Zalmi to win over Quetta Gladiators

Peshawar Zalmi defeated Quetta Gladiators by successfully chasing the 155-run target during the ninth match of the eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) played today at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.

James Neesham and Rovman Powell rescued Zalmi after Gladiators' Mohammad Hasnain's destruction with the ball early on in the second innings.

The two batters scored match-saving 46 runs as Zalmi beat Gladiators by four wickets to register their second win in the tournament out of three matches.

After setting Zalmi to chase 155 runs, Hasnain helped Gladiators start off strongly with the ball by picking up three quick wickets within the powerplay.

Hasnain bagged Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore in quick successions to create a good chance for Gladiators.

However, Gladiators lost control after Powell and Neesham took charge of the innings. Powell scored 36 whereas Neesham made the highest run rate of 37 runs for Zalmi.

Hasnain bowled brilliantly for Gladiators as he picked up three wickets in his four overs and also bowled a maiden last over.

Qais Ahmed, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Nawaz took one wicket each.

Earlier, Iftikhar Ahmed proved himself yet again after he scored a well-fought fifty for Gladiators.

Gladiators, who were put to bat first, lost three wickets for just 37 runs inside nine overs. Their openers had a very slow start after Zalmi bowlers gripped the match in the early phase.

With Jason Roy (14), Martin Guptill (12) and Mohammad Nawaz (2) being bowled out early on, Gladiators had to face the heat. But, skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and Iftikhar joined hands to utilise their experience and make possible a match-saving partnership for the team in purple.

They both scored 74 runs off 50 balls together, before Arshad Iqbal clean-bowled Sarfaraz in the seventeenth over.

Sarfaraz's wicket didn't pressurise Iftikhar and he kept scoring for his team. He completed his fourth PSL fifty off just 34 balls. Sarfaraz, on the other hand, scored valuable 38 runs including five boundaries.

Iftikhar remained not out for 50, laced with four maximums and two boundaries. In the end, Odean Smith also played a cameo of 25 off 12 balls.

For Zalmi, Usman Qadir bagged two wickets while James Neesham and Arshad shared a wicket apiece.

TOSS

Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and decided to bowl first against Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight match at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi on Monday.

Gladiators and Zalmi each have two points after two games and are slotted at the fourth and fifth position on the points table, respectively. However, the winner of today’s match will jump to the second position on the table.

Gladiators were trounced by Multan Sultans in their first match but bounced back to defeat Karachi Kings in their next game.

Meanwhile, Zalmi won a close match against Kings to begin their campaign but was thumped by Multan in their second encounter.

Gladiators and Zalmi have clashed 20 times in the past, with the latter winning 11 of those matches. Meanwhile, Quetta has won eight matches. One match ended without a result.Playing XIs

Peshawar: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka, Jimmy Neesham, Wahab Riaz, Usman Qadir, Arshad Iqbal and Sufyan Muqeem.

Quetta: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Odean Smith, Iftikhar Ahmed, Martin Guptill, Wahid Bangulzai, Jason Roy and Qais Ahmed.