Watson takes Gladiators to PSL final

KARACHI: Shane Watson’s half-century and a brilliant last over helped Quetta Gladiators become the first team to seal a final spot this season.

Watson’s 71 runs off 43 balls innings and with 1-10 last over bowling played a decisive factor in beating Peshawar Zalmi in the qualifier in the National Stadium, Karachi, reported Geo News on Wednesday.

Gladiators won by 10 runs as skipper Darren Sammy (46) and Kieron Pollard (44) though took the team to the final over in 187 run-chase but were triumphed over by Watson.

Bowling after nearly a year and with hardly any legs to take half his normal run-up, he’s pulled it off for them. Muhammad Hasnain took two wickets, while Roussow, Fawad Ahmed and Muhammad Nawaz took one each.

Watson was given the Man of the Match award for the phenomenal performance, while Sarfraz is being appreciated all across for taking the team to the tournament’s final for the third time.

Wahab Riaz picked up two wickets while Sameen Gul, KA Pollard, TS Mills and Hasan Ali each picked up one wicket each.

Zalmi started the match with a bang after dismissing opener Ahmad Shehzad with a fiery yorker in the second over the game.

But all it required was a fiery innings by Watson to neutralise the breakthrough. Watson and Ahsan Ali lifted the score to 53-1 after 5 overs to 96-1 after 10.

Earlier Gladiators posted 186-6 after Zalmi won the toss and elected to field first.

At one stage the prediction remained that the Sarfraz’ team will take the score beyond 200 but quick wickets in the death over restricted the team to a relatively low total. But soon after Watson’s departure, the team kept losing wickets at regular interval.