Pakistan’s own cricket league, Pakistan Super League (PSL) is underway right now, exactly the eight season of it. Today was ninth match of the tournament, PSL 8, played between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators. Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and the elected to field first.
In the batting of Quetta Gladiators, Iftikhar Ahmed was the top scorer, as he scored 50 runs on 34 balls with the help of 2 fours and 4 sixes. The captain Sarfraz Ahmed himself scored 39 runs on 30 balls and Odean Smith scored 25 on 12 ball. Other than that no one else scored 20 or more.
At the end of twenty overs, Quetta Gladiators scored 154 runs total for the loss of 4 wickets. From Peshawar Zalmi bowling side Usman Qadir took 2 wickets, James Neesham took 1 and Arshad Iqbal took 1. Wahab Riaz, Dusan Shanaka and Sufiyan Muqeem did not took any wickets. Wahab bowled full 4 overs while Shanaka and Muqeem bowled 2 overs each. However, the Peshawar the Zalmi bowlers restricted the Quetta Gladiators well, so they had not been able to put up a very big total.
As the Peshawar Zalmi started with their batting, they had to chase 155 runs to win. As they started they lost few early wickets, however, with few small performances here and there they were able to chase the target of 255 runs.
In the effort, James Neesham scored 38 runs on 23 balls and Rovman Powell scored 36 runs on 23 balls as well. After these two top scores, Babar Azam scored 19, Muhammad Haris scored 18, Dusan Shanaka scored 16 while being not out, Wahab Riaz was 10 not out, Tom Kohler Cadmore scored 9 on 9 balls and Saim Ayub gone for a duck. Overall good effort in tough conditions and target was chased in just 18.3 over for the loss of 6 wickets with 9 balls of innings still remaining. A great victory of Peshawar Zalmi against Quetta Gladiators by 4 wickets.
From Quetta Gladiators bowling side, Muhammad Hasnain took 3 wickets. Naseem Shah, Muhammad Nawaz and Qais Ahmed took 1 wicket each. Most expensive bowlers for Quetta Gladiators were Odean Smith and Muhammad Nawaz.
Overall, the match was a great thriller and after winning this match Peshawar Zalmi have moved up to number 2 on the tournament standings table while the Quetta Gladiators have moved down to number 5.
There is still lots more action to go in the tournament. You may be able to know about one or more of following about PSL 8, do check out these links.