LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi emerged victorious by just one run in a sensational finish against Quetta Gladiators in the first eliminator of the Pakistan Super League edition – 3 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Tuesday night.
The defending champions will now meet Karachi Kings in the second eliminator in a bid to reach the final for second time.
Needing 25 runs in the final over, Anwar Ali smashed three sixes and one four but his extra-ordinary effort went in vain as Mir Hamza was run out at the other end for taking the second run. However, 23 runs were scored off that over bowled from Liam Dawson.
Chasing 158, Quetta Gladiators could make 156 for nine, just two runs short of the target.
Anwar remained not out on 28, scored off 14 balls with three sixes and a four.
However, the main scorers were captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Mohammad Nawaz, who made 35 each and both got out off consecutive balls from Sameen Gul, who then missed a hat-trick. They added 63 from 45 balls for the third wicket partnership after Quetta made a disastrous start losing two early wickets for just 17 runs.
Mahmudullah (19) and Thisara Perera (12) were the other significant contributors as others failed, three of them got a duck.
For Peshawar, Hasan Ali, Sameen Gul, Wahab Riaz and Umaid Asif claimed two wickets each.
Hasan Ali, who removed both the Quetta openers in the beginning, was later declared Man-of-the-Match.
Earlier, left-arm pacer Rahat Ali bowled extremely well to bowl out Peshawar Zalmi for 157 in exact 20 overs despite an aggressive 62 by Liam Dawson.
Rahat bagged four wickets for just 16 runs in his quota of four overs.
After being sent into bat, Peshawar Zalmi made a poor start losing two early wickets for only ten runs but Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Hafeez rescued them and added 44 runs for the third wicket stand.
Hafeez made 25 off 14 balls with four boundaries and a six while Tamim scored 27 off 29 balls with five boundaries.
Peshawar were reeling at 58 for four when Dawson took the charge with an explosive batting display smashing 62 off 35 balls with four huge sixes and six excellent fours.
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