Sammy cameo not enough as Zalmi falter

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – West Indies Twenty20 captain Darren Sammy’s cameo innings for Peshawar Zalmi proved in vain as they crashed to a three-wicket defeat to Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League here yesterday.

West Indies T20 captain Darren Sammy made a cameo 48.
West Indies T20 captain Darren Sammy made a cameo 48.

Slumping at 59 for five in the 12th over after being sent in at Dubai International Stadium, Zalmi were propelled by an aggressive 48 off 31 balls from Sammy, to finish on 135 for seven off their 20 overs.

Englishman Kevin Pietersen then top-scored with 35 from 29 deliveries but Sarfraz Ahmed with 21 was the only other batsman to pass 20, as Gladiators struggled to 118 for seven in the 18th over.

They entered the final over needing seven runs for victory and reached their target with a delivery to spare.

Sammy had earlier rescued Zalmi with a bold, attacking innings, lashing one four and four sixes to rally the innings late on.

He anchored the major partnership in the innings, putting on 57 for the sixth wicket with Shahid Yousuf who scored 21.

Sammy fell into the final over, mis-hitting one into the deep where Mohammad Nawaz took the catch running in from long on.

In the other game played, both Andre Russell and Lendl Simmons failed as Islamabad United defeated Karachi Kings by two runs.

Russell scored just two as United tallied 132 for eight off 20 overs and Simmons lasted just three balls at the top of the order for his one as Kings came up short at 130 for nine.