James Neesham and Rovman Powell led Peshawar Zalmi to a convincing four-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators with nine balls remaining during the ninth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.
Set to chase 155, Zalmi amassed the target in the 19th over with four wickets to spare at the back of a crucial partnership between Neesham and Powell.
Earlier, after Peshawar won the toss and opted to bowl first, Quetta Gladiators set Peshawar Zalmi a target of 155 runs to chase.
Gladiators openers Jason Roy and Martin Guptill started cautiously against a disciplined bowling attack of Zalmi as they could score 28 runs in the powerplay before the latter lost his wicket in a desperate attempt to go big. Guptill could score 12 off 16.
Following his dismissal, leg-spinner Usman Qadir struck twice in his consecutive overs; removing Roy (14) and Mohammad Nawaz (2) as the Gladiators slipped to 37/3 in the ninth over.
Following the slump, skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed and Iftikhar anchored the innings with a gritty 74-run partnership for the fourth wicket and broke the shackles.
Meanwhile, Arshad Iqbal castled Sarfaraz in the 17th over to dent the Gladiators’ march to a big total. The skipper could score 39 off 30 deliveries and hit five boundaries.
Iftikhar, however, held his ground firm and kept charging on the Zalmi bowlers in the death overs and received significant support from all-rounder Odean Smith, who struck a blistering 12-ball 25.
Iftikhar top-scored for the Gladiators with 50 off 34 deliveries, laced with two boundaries and four sixes.
Playing XIs
Peshawar: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Dasun Shanaka, Jimmy Neesham, Wahab Riaz, Usman Qadir, Arshad Iqbal and Sufyan Muqeem.
Quetta: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hafeez, Odean Smith, Iftikhar Ahmed, Martin Guptill, Wahid Bangulzai, Jason Roy and Qais Ahmed.
