Gladiators clinch battle against Zalmi

By PPI

February 17, 2019

DUBAI: Two-times runners-up Quetta Gladiators won the battle of arch-rivals with a convincing six-wicket win in their opening game against Peshawar Zalmi here on Friday night.

Sarfraz Ahmed-led Quetta restricted Peshawar to 155-4 in their 20 overs after sending them into bat on a day when Karachi Kings also won their first match against Multan Sultans by seven runs in a double header.

Kamran Akmal and veteran Misbah-ul-Haq hit 49 each as Peshawar only managed a late charge, scoring 54 runs in the last five overs.

Former Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal then smashed 50-ball 75 not out with three sixes and seven fours to steer Quetta Gladiators to a comfortable victory in the 19.4 overs, for the fifth win over the rivals in 11 matches.

Peshawar have also won five head-to-head matches with one no result in three editions of the HBL PSL.

Sarfraz attributed the win to team work. “Overall, it was a team performance,” said Sarfraz. “We bowled well to restrict them to 155-4 and then Umar played a brilliant knock, so I am very happy at that.”

Peshawar captain Darren Sammy said his team did not put a big total on the board. “We didn’t get enough runs but did well to take the match to the last over,” said Sammy. “It was just the first game and we reached final both times after losing the first game,” he added.

Umar led Quetta’s recovery after they had a disastrous start, losing former Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad leg before to Hasan Ali on the first ball of their innings.

Shane Watson hit two boundaries and a towering six in his 15-ball 19 and Rilee Rossouw made 14-ball 19 with three boundaries but both wasted good starts to leave the repair work to Umar.

Umar smashed a boundary and a six each off pacers Sameen Gul and Umaid Asif to show his intentions. He added 62 for the fourth wicket with skipper Sarfraz who made 29-ball 37 with a six and three boundaries.

Paceman Wahab Riaz dismissed Sarfraz to become the first bowler to take 50 wickets in PSL history. The milestone came in his 33rd match, as he finished with 2-18.

Umar smashed Kieron Pollard for a towering six over the long-on boundary to bring up the victory.

Umar’s elder brother Kamran did the same for his team Peshawar. Kamran was the helm of a repair work after a faltering Peshawar start, losing West Indian Andre Fletcher in the third over of the innings for just one.

Kamran added 64 for the second wicket with Pakistan discard Sohaib Maqsood, who made 29-ball 26 with two sixes and a boundary.

Kamran holed out to left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, who was the pick of Quetta bowlers with 2-25 in his four overs.

Misbah and Liam Dawson (21 off 14 balls with a six and a four) added 52 runs in the slog overs. Misbah hit two sixes and four boundaries during his 32-ball innings.

Score Board

Quetta Gladiators won toss

Peshawar Zalmi

†Kamran Akmal c Rossouw b Nawaz 49

A D S Fletcher lbw b Irfan 1

Sohaib Maqsood c Irfan b Ghulam 26

Misbah-ul-Haq not out 49

K A Pollard c Umar b Nawaz 3

L A Dawson not out 21

Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 1) 6

Total (4 wickets; 20 overs) 155

Did not bat: *D J G Sammy, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Umaid Asif, Sameen Gul