Quetta Gladiators defeated Peshawar Zalmi in a PSL 9 thrilling game at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. The Babar Azam-led team fell short of 16 runs to meet the mammoth 207-run goal.
PSL 9: Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi in thriller
Gladiators reached 200 runs despite losing wickets because to Saud Shakeel and Jason Roy’s 157-run stand. Zalmi started well but failed to chase the goal as Quetta bowlers put in a great effort in the closing overs.
Azam scored 68 runs on 42 balls with eight boundaries. But his team fell 17 runs short of the Gladiators’ total. Zalmi started strongly, with Saim Ayub and Azam planted on the crease as they approached 100 for no loss. But a miscommunication between the two batters in the ninth inning cost them big.
Saim was run out after scoring 42 runs, leaving his team 91-1 in 8.4 overs. Mohammad Haris replaced the left-handed batter but left after scoring 7 runs. The Zalmi skipper mistimed his shot on mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed’s ball and was caught by Mohammad Wasim Jr.
Gladiators bowlers kept wickets dropping and reduced Zalmi to 190 for six wickets, winning by 16 runs. Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel scored 157 runs in the first innings by thrashing Zalmi’s bowler. After hitting 74 off 47 with eleven boundaries and four sixes, Shakeel left.
Gladiators captain Rilee Rossouw smashed a six off the opening ball and a boundary two balls later, but Mohammad Zeeshan castled him in the next over to terminate his brief tenure. After scoring 75 runs off 48 balls with nine boundaries and two sixes, Roy was dismissed by Salman Irshad in the 18th over with 185 runs.
Sherfane Rutherford got 20 runs off 13 balls before being dismissed in the penultimate over, followed by Mohammad Wasim, who scored a boundary and left. Khawaja Nafay (6) smashed the penultimate ball for four to take the team to 206 in 20 overs. Irshad led the Peshawar Zalmi bowling statistics with 3-38, while Wood and Zeeshan both took one wicket.
