Will Smeed's 99-run innings in vain as Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by 24 runs in the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season seven on Tuesday.
Chasing a 186-run target, Quetta were restricted to 161/8 in their 20 overs.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi set a 186-run target for Quetta Gladiators courtesy of Shoaib Malik and Hussain Talat's fifties and late flurry by Ben Cutting.
Peshawar took a shaky start to their innings, losing both openers for 6 runs on the board, thanks to Naseem Shah’s brilliant first over. Malik (58) and Hussain Talat (51), rebuilt the innings before Cutting’s 36-run cameo took Peshawar to 185/7 in the crucial game.
Naseem picked 4 wickets for 27 runs and was the pick of the bowlers for Quetta.
In response, Quetta opener Jason Roy, whom they heavily rely on, departed after scoring just 13 runs, while James Vince earned his second consecutive duck, leaving Quetta reeling at 29/2 inside the powerplay.
Sarfraz (25), and Will Smeed (99) added 53 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership to bring Quetta back in the game. The next three wickets of Sarfaraz, Iftikhar Ahmed (10), Umar Akmal (1) fell early, making the chase look more difficult.
Smeed, the lone warrior, continued to fight till the end but succumbed to the mounting pressure of the asking run rate and got out for 99 runs, missing his maiden T20 hundred by just one run. Eventually, Quetta were restricted to 161/8 in their 20 overs, to hand Peshawar a 24-run win.
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Points Table Update
With this win, Peshawar Zalmi get two valuable points to replace Quetta Gladiators on the 4th spot. Islamabad United are third with as many points but a better run rate.
Meanwhile, Multan Sultans and Lahore Qalandars are placed first and second in the points table with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Islamabad United are third with eight points.
Quetta Gladiators are placed fifth with six points, while Karachi Kings are reeling at the bottom of the table with seven losses on the trot.
Next fixtures
There is only one match scheduled for Tuesday; between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. The match, to be played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, will start at 7:30 pm.
Past PSL Winners
PSL 2016 – Islamabad United
PSL 2017 – Peshawar Zalmi
PSL 2018 – Islamabad United
PSL 2019 – Quetta Gladiators
PSL 2020 – Karachi Kings
PSL 2021 – Multan Sultans