Kusal Mendis’ superb innings backed by an impressive spin attack guided Peshawar Zalmi to a comfortable victory over Multan Sultans in the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Monday.
Set to chase a daunting 197-run target, the Sultans could accumulate 172/8 in their 20 overs and thus succumbed to their second defeat in the ongoing eight-team tournament.
The 2021 champions got off to a dismal start to the pursuit as they lost in-form Sahibzada Farhan (17) in the third over with just 30 runs on the board. Following the early stutter, Steve Smith and Josh Philippe attempted to force the Sultans’ recovery by putting together an anchoring 55-run partnership before Sufiyan Muqeem dismissed both the set batters in the pulsating 10th over. Philippe scored a brisk 17-ball 32 with the help of six fours, while Smith made a cautious 31 off 29 deliveries.
Vice captain Shan Masood then took the reins of the Sultans’ pursuit and shared important partnerships with skipper Ashton Turner (20) and Arafat Minhas until eventually being dismissed by Iftikhar Ahmed in the 16th over. Masood remained the top-scorer for the Sultans with a 19-ball 35, comprising five fours.
Sultans suffered another setback in the following over as Nahid Rana sent Minhas back, who could score four off five deliveries. Right-arm pacer Nahid Rana inflicted another blow to the Sultans’ expedition by getting Mohammad Wasim Jr (four) caught behind and giving away just two runs in the penultimate over.
Nawaz, on the other hand, was dismissed by Aamir Jamal on the third delivery of the final over and walked back after scoring a run-a-ball 16.
Jamal conceded just two runs off the last three deliveries and steered Zalmi to their fifth victory in six games.
Muqeem spearheaded Zalmi’s bowling charge with economical figures of 3/30 in his four overs. He was supported by fellow spinner Iftikhar and Rana, who bagged two wickets each, while Jamal chipped in with one scalp.
Sultans captain Ashton Turner’s decision to field first backfired as the leaders piled up 196/6 in their 20 overs.
Zalmi got off to a flying start to their innings as their opening pair of Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam yielded 48 runs at a brisk pace.
Haris, who dominated the opening stand, was eventually dismissed by Peter Siddle in the fifth over and walked back after scoring a blistering 40 off just 17 deliveries, laced with four sixes and three fours. Babar then shared a brief 24-run partnership for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis until falling victim to Mohammad Nawaz in the eighth over after scoring a scratchy 18 off 20 deliveries with the help of one six.
Mendis was then joined by emerging batter Farhan Yousaf, and the duo dominated the crucial middle phase to add 63 runs off just 38 deliveries until Mohammad Wasim Jr gave Sultans a much-needed breakthrough in the 15th over by dismissing the latter, who made a 22-ball 30 with the help of three sixes.