Afridi catapults Zalmi to top of HBL PSL table

DUBAI: Most of the sizeable crowd that made it to the far flung Dubai International Stadium on Saturday night for the HBL Pakistan Super League match featuring Peshawar Zalmi and table-toppers Quetta Gladiators had come to watch Shahid Afridi in action.

And for a change, they were in for a memorable treat as Afridi played the lead role in a thrilling two-wicket win against the Gladiators to put Zalmi on the top of the points table with just one more league game to go.

Wearing Zalmi T-shirts, they chanted for each and every run scored by Afridi and his team as Zalmi overcame a series of hiccups to seal victory in the final over of the low-scoring encounter.

It was after a long time that Afridi, who remained unbeaten on a 23-ball 45 with three fours and three sixes, had managed to win a match for his side. The former Pakistan captain celebrated the win after hitting two consecutive fours off the first two balls of the final over with his typical star-man pose.

It was certainly his night.

Afridi walked in as Zalmi, chasing a modest 129, stumbled to 52-6. Five wickets were lost for two runs in the space of 12 balls on a wicket that was offering plenty of turn.

But Afridi lifted the team first through a 37-run stand with Muhammad Hafeez (22) and later single-handedly took Peshawar to the top of the table.

Needing 18 off 12 balls and 7 off the final over, he blasted two consecutive boundaries off Mahmudullah to seal a top-two position for Zalmi, who finished on 130 for eight in 19.2 overs.

Kamran Akmal (26) made a useful contribution for Zalmi at the top of the order. Mahmudullah who was denied a hat-trick by Afridi finished with three for 31. Tynal Mills had figures of three for 20.

Earlier, Quetta folded up for 128 despite an 86-run stand for the third wicket between Kevin Pietersen (41) and Rilee Rossouw (38).

Mohammad Asghar claimed three for 33 including both openers while Hasan Ali and Wahab Riaz snared two apiece.

Peshawar took Quetta’s place at the top of the table with this win, with the Gladiators slipping to second. Both sides are on nine points, but Zalmi have a superior net run-rate.

Score Board

Peshawar Zalmi won toss

Quetta Gladiators

Asad Shafiq st Kamran b Asghar     3

Ahmed Shehzad c Sohaib b Asghar  0

K P Pietersen c Hasan b Asghar      41

R R Rossouw c Hasan b Shakib       38

M Nawaz (3) c & b Hasan     18

*†Sarfraz Ahmed run out    8

Mahmudullah b Wahab         0

Hasan Khan run out   5

Zulfiqar Babar c Wahab b Hasan     0

Umar Gul c & b Wahab        2

T S Mills not out        1

Extras (lb 9, w 3)     12

Total (all out; 20 overs)       128

Fall: 1-3, 2-4, 3-90, 4-98, 5-118, 6-118, 7-121, 8-122, 9-126, 10-128

Bowling: Hasan 4-0-22-2; Asghar 4-0-33-3; Shakib 4-1-25-1 (1w); Wahab 4-0-17-2 (2w); Shahid 4-1-22-0

Peshawar Zalmi

Tamim Iqbal st Sarfraz b Mahmudullah      7

†Kamran Akmal lbw b Nawaz         26

M N Samuels c sub (Umar) b Mills   7

M Hafeez c Sarfraz b Mills    22

Shakib Al Hasan run out       1

Sohaib Maqsood c Asad b Mahmudullah      0

*D J G Sammy c Nawaz b Mahmudullah     0

Shahid Afridi not out  45

Wahab Riaz c Sarfraz b Mills 1

Hasan Ali not out      8

Extras (lb 1, w 12)    13

Total (8 wickets; 19.2 overs)         130

Did not bat: M Asghar

Fall: 1-38, 2-50, 3-51, 4-52, 5-52, 6-52, 7-89, 8-113

Bowling: Zulfiqar 4-1-23-0 (5w); Hasan 4-0-23-0 (1w); Mahmudullah 3.2-0-31-3; Mills 4-0-20-3 (4w); Nawaz (3) 4-0-32-1

Result: Peshawar Zalmi won by 2 wickets

Points: Peshawar Zalmi 2, Quetta Gladiators 0

Man of the Match: M Asghar (Peshawar Zalmi)

Umpires: Ahmed Shahab (Pakistan) and Ahsan Raza (Pakistan). TV umpire: Aleem Dar (Pakistan). Match referee: R S Mahanama (Sri Lanka)