Lahore (SBR): Skipper Babar Azam and HBL PSL debutant Maaz Sadaqat scored half-centuries as Peshawar Zalmi reaped a crucial six-wicket win over table toppers Islamabad United in the 22nd match here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Friday evening.
Peshawar Zalmi, who kept themselves in the hunt for playoffs with the third win in seven matches, chased the 144-run target with 20 balls to spare and after slipping to 38-3 in 5.5 overs.
Islamabad United struck thrice in the Powerplay as they eked out opening duo of Saim Ayub and Mitchell Owen for single digit scores, while Mohammad Haris stayed on the crease for just 12 balls scoring 13 with the help of a six and four.
Left-handed batter Maaz joined forces with Babar to take Zalmi out of trouble as the duo batted for 10 overs stitching a valuable 102-run stand for the fourth wicket. Babar, who is also the leading run-scorer in HBL PSL history, registered his 34th half-century – an unbeaten 53 off 49 balls inclusive of four boundaries and a solitary six.
Maaz impressed with a sublime 33-ball 55, which included four fours and three sixes before he fell caught behind to Naseem Shah in the 16th over. Max Bryant hit the winning runs for Zalmi.
Kyle Mayers, Ben Dwarshuis and Riley Meredith picked up a wicket each.
Earlier, Islamabad United opted to bat and got off to a decent start notching 49 off the first six overs before Zalmi bowlers put the brakes on the run flow and restricted them to 143-9 in the allotted 20 overs.
Sahibzada Farhan (36, 35b, 4x4s, 1x6) and Kyle Mayers (18, 18b, 2x4s, 1x6) put on 58 runs before Ahmed Daniyal drew the first blood for Zalmi in ninth over. In the next 5.2 overs, United could only add 33 runs losing five more wickets with pacer Mohammad Ali accounting for three of them.
Skipper Shadab fell for an eight-ball 15 hitting three fours, while Colin Munro returned for a 10-ball 11. Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan and Saad Masood couldn’t get into double figures. No. 1o batter Dwarshuis struck three sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 17-ball 33 to help his team post a fighting total after they had slipped to 107-7 in 16.1 overs.
Apart from Mohammad Ali, who returned figures of 4-0-26-3, all other Zalmi bowlers dismissed one batter each.
Scores in brief
Islamabad United 143-9, 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 36, Ben Dwarshuis 33 not out; Mohammad Ali 3-26)
Peshawar Zalmi 147-4, 16.4 overs (Maaz Sadaqat 55, Babar Azam 53 not out; Ben Dwarshuis 1-23)
Player of the match – Maaz Sadaqat (Peshawar Zalmi)
Saturday’s fixture: Quetta Gladiators v Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore; 8pm PKT
