A combined batting effort helped Peshawar Zalmi defeat RawalPindiz by five wickets in the third match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Zalmi successfully chased down Pindiz’s 215-run target, losing five wickets, courtesy of stellar performances by openers Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad and Kusal Mendis.
The team got off to a commanding start as Haris and skipper Babar set the tone with brisk scoring. The duo stitched a 50-run partnership inside five overs, showcasing their brilliance with regular boundaries.
However, their 78-run stand was broken when Asif Afridi struck, dismissing Babar, who had played an impressive knock of 39 off 28 balls, including four fours and a six. Haris continued to keep the scoreboard ticking but was eventually dismissed by Amad Butt after scoring 47 off 28 deliveries, laced with four fours and two sixes, leaving the side at 96-2 in 10 overs. Kusal Mendis then came to the crease and immediately accelerated the scoring, putting pressure on the Pindiz bowling attack and taking the total past the 100-run mark alongside Aaron Hardie, who struggled at the other end.
However, the promising partnership ended when Rishad Hossain dismissed Hardie cheaply for eight off 10 balls, reducing Zalmi to 128-3 in 13.3 overs.
On the first ball of the 15th over, Zalmi lost their fourth wicket as Mendis’ 31 off 17 balls, featuring one four and two sixes, came to an end at the hands of Amad Butt, who claimed his second wicket. Abdul Samad and Michael Bracewell then combined to stabilise the innings, adding crucial runs to ease the pressure and taking the team past the 150-run mark.
Mohammad Amir, despite being hit for boundaries, bounced back to dismiss Abdul Samad after his fiery 33 off 11 balls, which included one four and four sixes. Aamir Jamal then came in and smashed a six off the first ball he faced from Naseem Shah, easing the pressure and taking the team past the 200-run mark and closer to the target.
The match concluded on the first ball of the final over, with Jamal unbeaten on 17 off five deliveries, while Bracewell scored 35 off 17 balls, including one four and four sixes.
Butt proved expensive but led the bowling attack with figures of 2/45 in four overs, while Amir, Afridi and Hossain chipped in with a wicket each.
Opting to bat first, RawalPindiz posted 214-4 in their 20 overs, after getting off to a flying start. Openers Yasir Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan set the tone, punishing anything loose and keeping the boundaries flowing.
The duo compiled a 50-run partnership, attacking from the outset as they aimed to take their team to a massive total in their PSL debut.
Khan led from the front, keeping the scoreboard ticking and raising his bat for his third PSL fifty. Rizwan was equally aggressive, striking consecutive boundaries to help the pair reach a 100-run opening stand.
However, Zalmi’s Ali Raza broke the partnership, dismissing Rizwan for 41 off 32 balls, featuring five fours and a six, on the first delivery of the 13th over, ending the 125-run stand.
Khan continued his assault, looking poised for a maiden PSL century, but he too fell to Raza in the 15th over, finishing at 83 off 46 deliveries, with seven fours and six sixes, leaving the team at 144-2.
In the final overs, Kamran Ghulam and Daryl Mitchell combined to accelerate the scoring, taking RawalPindiz past the 150-run mark.
However, their 41-run partnership was broken when Aaron Hardie struck, claiming his first wicket of the tournament by dismissing Ghulam for a 20-ball 37, which included two fours and three sixes. In the first ball of the final over, Aamir Jamal struck, dismissing RawalPindiz Mitchell, who scored 23 off 13 balls, including two sixes. Sam Billings played a crucial cameo in the final over, scoring an unbeaten 18 off eight balls, including one four and two sixes, as Jamal conceded 17 runs. Abdullah Fazal also contributed five runs. Raza was the standout bowler for Zalmi despite being expensive, finishing with figures of 2/42 in three overs, while Hardie and Jamal claimed one wicket each.