PSL 6 match 26: Peshawar go down fighting after Islamabad post record total

Peshawar Zalmi have gone down fighting in a nail-biting, high-scoring thriller against Islamabad United, falling just 15 runs short of the record total in the 25th game of PSL 6 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

Chasing a mammoth 248-run target in 20 overs, Peshawar lost their firepower, Hazratullah Zazai, on the first ball of the innings, but that did not slow them down. Veteran batsman Kamran Akmal and Imam ul Haque kept Zalmi going, adding 33 runs, and then a 53-run stand with Shoaib Malik, before being dismissed for 53 runs from 32 balls.

West Indian all-rounder Rovmen Powell walked-in, and contributed with his 14 before edging one off Aakif Javed.

Sherfane Rutherford, another West Indian joined Malik on the crease and, thanks to his quick 29 off just 8 balls, provided Zalmi with the much-needed lift in pursuit of the giant total. Hassan Ali got him caught behind the wicket.

Malik, who had been searching for a big partnership, was next to depart for his 68 off 33 when he missed an in-dipper from Hussain Talat that hit the timber. Zalmi were 6 down for 185 in the 17th over and had no recognized batsman left at the crease.

Still, Wahab Riaz and Umaid Asif (both fast bowlers) played fearlessly and dragged their team to 232/6 at the end of the 20 overs, going down by 15 runs in a chase that could have been another PSL record.

United’s Aakif Javed was the pick of the bowlers. He was a touch expensive, conceding 43 runs off his four overs, but took an important three wickets that changed the game in Islamabad’s favour.

Earlier in the day, Islamabad United posted the highest total in PSL history after being invited to bat first by Wahab Riaz, the Zalmi skipper.

Ton-up Usman Khawaja was the star of the show, who posted an unbeaten 53-ball hundred, followed by cameos from Colin Munro, Muhammad Asif, and Brandon King.

Usman was made stand-in captain in place of Shadab Khan, but he showed no sign of discomfort from the additional burden and played fluently throughout the innings, making a mockery of the Zalmi bowlers. He reached the milestone in just 53 balls, third-fastest after Kamran Akmal (33 balls), Cameron Delport (49) balls, and Sharjeel Khan (50 balls).

He along with Munro started off in grand fashion and posed 54 runs without a wicket in the first powerplay. The duo collaborated for a 98-run opening stand off just 59 balls, before veteran all-rounder Malik got the better of Munro, bowling him out on an individual score of 47 runs off 28 balls.

The next batsman, Asif Ali, continued from where Munro had left off and smashed a 14-ball 43 runs before departing. In came Islamabad’s debutant Brandon King who was included in place of Shadab.

The explosive batsman contributed an invaluable 46 off just 22 balls to build an unbeaten 102-run partnership off just 43 balls and propel United to 247 runs for the loss of two wickets.