Quetta edge Peshawar in close finish

LAHORE: Quetta Gladiators overwhelmed Peshawar Zalmi by 16 runs in their match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2024 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on a partly cloudy Sunday.

In the presence of holidaying crowd, Quetta Gladiators openers Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel steered their team to 206 for five with Peshawar Zalmi managing only 190 runs for six.

Saim Ayub and Babar Azam adopted the same approach shown by their rival team openers. By the time Peshawar innings reached 90-plus runs, Saim got run out needlessly. However, their 91 runs opening wicket partnership was way above the required run-rate. Saim played a 42-run innings in 26 balls laced with two fours and three sixes. Babar on the other end mustered his half century in 29 balls.

Babar then witnessed the fall of Mohammad Haris at seven when Peshawar were 108 to find a reasonable partner in Tom Kohler. But Babar himself could not keep his nerves and in an attempt for a big hit mistimed Abrar Ahmed to Wasim Junior at mid-wicket. Babar produced 68 runs in 42 balls with eight boundaries, four above and four across the ropes. Babar was followed by Kohler in the same fashion for an 18-ball 18.

All the Peshawar hopes then rested with Rovman Powell and Dan Mosley to overhaul 57 runs in 26 balls. But they were clamped by Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Wasim to get runs freely. Amir for his only wicket of the day edged out Rovman for 17 and Wasim took the wicket of Mosley (11). With Asif Ali and Aamer Jamal at the crease, Quetta further tightened the screw on Peshawar.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi failed to break Quetta Gladiators opening partnership. Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel showed perfection in their shot selection and played every ball on merit. They developed their 50 in 4.4 overs and then approached their hundred in 10 overs without any hiccup. Once Quetta managed their three figures, both the openers headed towards their half centuries. Jason Roy completed his half century in 29 balls and then went on to 75 before saying adieu to the crease.

On the other hand, the wicketkeeker-batsman Saud Shakeel reached his fifty in 36 balls but he was the first to be sent back to the pavilion when he reached 74. The first breakthrough was provided to Zalmi by Luke Wood who made Saud pull in the air and Babar Azam sprinted across mid-on and covered a lot of ground to settle underneath the skier, pouching it brilliantly. This was the fourth highest opening wicket partnership of the PSL between the two Quetta openers. Roy staying put witnessed Rilee Rossouw produce 14 aided with a four and a six and suddenly Quetta were 172 for two by the 17th over. The following over Roy who was playing decently failed to time Salman Irshad and Saim Ayub made him walk off at 185/3. Roy produced 75 runs in 48 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes. During the last five overs, Quetta lost five quick wickets in between 50 runs. They lost two wickets of Sherfane Rutherford (20 off 13 balls) and Mohammad Wasim (four) while Khawaja Nafay at six remained not out with Sarfaraz Ahmed. Salman Irshad was the pick of bowlers with three wickets while Luke Wood and Mohammad Zeeshan shared one scalp each. Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and invited Quetta Gladiators to bat first.

In the next match of season nine, Lahore Qalandars will have a face-off with Quetta Gladiators at the same venue on Monday (today).

Peshawar Zalmi won the toss

Quetta Gladiators Innings

Roy c Ayub b Irshad 75

Shakeel c Azam b Wood 74

Rossouw (c) b Mohammad Zeeshan 14

Rutherford c Wood b Irshad 20

Nafay not out 6

Wasim c Kohler b Salman 4

Ahmed not out 0

Extras: (lb 6, nb 1, w 6) 13

Total: 20 Ov (RR: 10.30) 206/5

Did not bat: Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed

Fall of wickets: 1-157, 2-172, 3-185, 4-197, 5-201

Bowling: Luke Wood 4-0-39-1, Mohammad Zeeshan 4-0-38-1, Aamer Jamal 2-0-29-0, Salman Irshad 4-0-38-3, Dan Mousley 3-0-22-0, Saim Ayub 3-0-34-0

Peshawar Zalmi Innings

Ayub run out Nafay/Sarfaraz 42

Azam (c) c Wasim b Ahmed 68

Haris c Roy b Hosein 7

Cadmore c Wasim b Abrar 18

Powell c Sarfaraz b Amir 17

Mousley c Hosein b Wasim 11

Ali not out 2

Jamal not out 7

Extras: (lb 4, w 14) 18

Total: 20 Ov (RR: 9.50) 190/6

Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-108, 3-147, 4-150, 5-181, 6-183

Bowling: Mohammad Amir 4-0-29-1, Akeal Hosein 4-0-38-1, Mohammad Hasnain 4-0-41-0, Mohammad Wasim 4-0-49-1, Abrar Ahmed 4-0-29-2

Match Result: Gladiators won by 16 runs

Player of the match: Saud Shakeel