ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Zalmi’s spectacular performance on Saturday in both, batting and bowling, helped them crush Quetta Gladiators by 61 runs in the 19th match of the Pakistan Super League’s sixth edition at Abu Dhabi’s Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.
The Gladiators had been handed a huge 198-run target by Zalmi.
Opener Saim Ayub (35) and Usman Khan (28) gave the side a steady start, but as soon as they were dismissed, the Gladiators’ wickets started to tumble in quick succession.
Fabian Allen provided the first breakthrough to Zalmi by dismissing Usman, while Mohammad Irfan took the wickets of Ayub, Azam Khan(0), and Cameron Delport (0) in a single over.
Following Irfan, pacer Umaid Asif dismissed Jake Weatherald for 13 and Mohammad Nawaz for a duck. Later, through a direct hit, Asif got Khurram Shahzad run out at 11.
In the 18th over, Zalmi skipper Wahab Riaz got the wickets of Mohammad Hasnain (0) and Zahid Mahmood (0).
Gladiators’ skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed was able to score 36 not out.
Despite a poor start, Peshawar Zalmi were able set a 198-run target at the loss of five wickets for Quetta Gladiators.
The Gladiators had invited Zalmi to bat first after winning the toss.
At the beginning of the match, it seemed that Zalmi would not be able to score much as two key players — Haider Ali (0) and Shoaib Malik (2) — were sent packing within three overs by Mohammad Nawaz.
However, after settling in, Kamran Akmal and David Miller thrashed every bowler sent their way to build a partnership of 125 runs that helped their team bounce back.
But the recovery could not last long as Mohammad Hasnain sent Akmal (59) back to the pavilion, while Khurram Shahzad bowled out Miller after a few overs, at 73 runs.
Following their dismissal, Rovman Powell (43) became the torchbearer for Zalmi as he kept the score ticking with some impressive shots.
Nawaz was able to secure two wickets, while Shahzad and Hasnain picked up a wicket each.
The Gladiators are placed at the bottom of the points table.
Both teams were defeated in their last matches during the current leg of the tournament, but the pressure will be on Quetta Gladiators as the former champions are on the verge of another early elimination from the race.
They were beaten, rather outclassed, by Islamabad United a night before.
The Sarfaraz-led Gladiators had brought in Cameron Delport for the ruled-out Andre Russell and Zakir Khan in for Jack Wildermuth.
