Zalmi overcome Qalandars in dramatic HBL PSL clash

By our correspondents

February 14, 2017

DUBAI: In an extra-ordinary HBL Pakistan Super League encounter in which 17 wickets fell for 120 odd runs, Peshawar Zalmi barely managed to limp to victory after bowling Lahore Qalandars out for just 59 on Sunday night.

It seemed as if batsmen from both sides were batting on a minefield as wickets fell like nine pins before Peshawar crossed the finish line for their second straight win in the competition.

After skittling Lahore for 59 in 10.2 overs — the second-shortest innings in the format’s history — Peshawar found a hole and then promptly dug themselves into it, going from 47 for 3 to 51 for 7 as the most straightforward of run chases suddenly turned complicated in large part due to a brilliant spell by Yasir Shah. From there, Wahab Riaz and Chris Jordan forged a priceless nine-run partnership to ensure that Peshawar secured two points.

The rot began when Lahore captain Brendon McCullum was caught at deep midwicket for a duck in the first over. The Qalandars continued to swing from the hip as they fell to 9 for 3 in two overs and then 27 for 4 inside of four overs, and an approach that started off as aggressive began to look asinine. As they fell for what was by some distance the lowest score ever in the PSL — the second lowest is 111 — they looked headed for embarrassment. Yet with this being a Pakistani competition, it was never going to be that simple.

Eoin Morgan, invaluable in Peshawar’s chase against Karachi with an unbeaten 80 on Friday, found himself playing an equally crucial role in a much smaller chase today. He might be known on the T20 circuit for his explosive shotmaking, but just like he had against Karachi, came in to settle his side’s nerves by scoring 23 in 26 balls to take his side within touching distance. He was unlucky to be given out when he was, Aleem Dar judging Morgan to have inside edged a ball to short leg when there seemed to be only pad involved.

It is a mark of how extraordinary Yasir’s bowling must have been for the Man of the Match award to go to a player from the side bowled out for 59. Building on a spell from teammate Sunil Narine, who extracted more turn than has been seen in the PSL so far, Yasir bowled an unrelentingly aggressive spell, making Peshawar work for every one of their 60 runs. It was legspin at its finest: attacking, accurate, fearless and effective. His figures of 4-0-7-4 did not flatter him in the slightest.

Peshawar now have two wins from three and top the table with four points thanks to a better net run rate than Quetta Gladiators, though Quetta have a game in hand. Lahore, with one win in three, sit in third place level on points with Islamabad United but ahead on net run rate.

Score Board

Peshawar Zalmi won toss

Lahore Qalandars

J J Roy c Jordan b Hasan 9

*B B McCullum c Malan b Asghar 0

Fakhar Zaman c Kamran b Jordan 33

Umar Akmal c Hafeez b Hasan 0

G D Elliott c Sammy b Hasan 0

†M Rizwan c Morgan b Wahab 11

S P Narine c Jordan b Hafeez 2

Sohail Tanvir run out 1

Bilawal Bhatti b Shahid 1