Peshawar hand Lahore straight fifth defeat

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi handed defending champions Lahore Qalandars their straight fifth defeat of the Pakistan Super League-2024 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday night.

Put into bat, Peshawar Zalmi bashed Lahore Qalandars for the highest total of the season-9 scoring 211 runs for four and in their chase, Lahore Qalandars reached 203 for six. Peshawar thus won the match by eight runs despite a gigantic effort from Lahore batter Rassie ven dar Dussen, who was the main contributor in the chase.

Dussen came up with the first century of season-9 but all his exertion went in to the losing cause. He reached his fifth hundred of career in 50 balls. As the Lahore Oalandars innings folded, he remained unbeaten at 104 while Carlos Brathwaite (6) was the not out player.

With this defeat, Lahore’s dream of winning the third title in a row dashed in but they will be staying in the tournament to play a spoiler for other team’s progress to the next stage.

In the upcoming encounter of PSL-9, Peshawar Zalmi will take on Islamabad United at the same venue on Monday evening.

Lahore batters faltered after an every brief interval. Their opening pair lasted together for just 17 runs when Sahabzada Farhan caved in to the pressure and fell at 15, hitting two fours in 12 balls faced. Fakhar Zaman and Rassie van der Dussen continued but the former too did not last long at the crease and was bowled by Woods for just four and Lahore was 38 for two. Dussen and Shai Hope kept Lahore hopes alive by producing a third wicket partnership of 71 runs that lasted for 47 balls and before that the two batters first reached fifty runs stand in 35 balls. Salman Irshad broke their partnership with the wicket of Hope when Lahore was at 109 in the 13th over, who made 29 runs in 23 balls with the help of a six and a four.

However, Dussen onslaught continued alongside Ahsan Hafeez and the two also produced 55 runs for the fourth wicket. Ahsan in an attempt for a big hit pulled Naveen-ul-Haq to backward square leg where Saim Ayub did the rest. Ahsan contributed 20 runs aided with three boundaries as he played 13 balls.

Needing 48 runs in 19 balls, Dussen was joined by Jahandad Khan and the two produced 32 runs with the latter got out at his 13 and team’s 196. Even the new batsman Sikandar Raza with one run on board was run out when 15 were required in two balls. Dussen and Carlos Brathwaite remained not out.

Naveen snared two wickets whereas Luke Wood, Salman Irshad and Paul Walter picked one each.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi openers Saim Ayub and Babar Azam put Lahore Qalandar attack to sword hammering 136 runs for the first wicket and taking the shine off of the colourful Lahore bowlers, which was already in misery due to injury to Haris Rauf and Rashid Khan’s pull out of the tournament.

Both the Peshawar openers also completed 50 runs for Peshawar in the sixth over and 100 in the 11th. In the process Saim also completed his half centuries, 12th of career and third of the tournament and together with Babar they produced 136 runs. Lahore skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi in his return spell and by the 15th over trapped Babar for his personal 48 that came in 36 balls and was decorated with five fours.

Saim, however, kept the score ticking at the other end and found a valuable partner in Rovman Powell. The two batters combined to take the score to 175 before Saim became the second victim of Shaheen Shah. Saim in his magnificent 88 hit eight fours and four sixes while facing 55 balls.

Saim was followed by Asif Ali, who just hit a six in three balls became the third scalp of Lahore skipper at 181 in 17.4 overs. Powell pairing up with Mohammad Haris produced 28 runs for the fourth wicket and during the last five overs added 68 runs to the scoreboard. Powell with a 46 runs cameo powered the Zalmi score past 200 runs. His innings was supported by five fours and two sixes. Haris, however remained not out at five-ball 12 alongside Paul Walter, who took a double on the final delivery of their innings.

Lahore Qalandars used seven bowlers but Shaheen was the bick of bowlers with three key wickets while Jahandad Khan chipped in with the only wicket of Powell. Shaheen finished with the figures of 3/33.

Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars won the toss and decided to bowl first. Lahore Qalandars made two changes, Mohammad Imran and Carlos Brathwaite come in place of Linde and Rauf. Peshawar Zalmi are unchanged.