ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Sherfane Rutherford’s second Twenty20 half-century went in vain as Peshawar Zalmi crashed to an eight-wicket defeat to Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League here Sunday.
Sent in at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, the Daren Sammy-coached Zalmi racked up 166 for seven from their 20 overs with the 22-year-old Rutherford hammering 56 off 40 deliveries.
Kamran Akmal hit 35 and Haider Ali, 28, the pair posting 71 off 52 deliveries for the first wicket before four wickets tumbled for 17 runs.
Jamaica and West Indies all-rounder, Rovman Powell, was one of the wickets to fall, top-edging a pull at 22-year-old speedster Shahnawaz Dhani and skying a catch to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan in the 11th over.
The left-handed Rutherford then single-handedly revived the innings, striking a couple of fours and four sixes, dominating a 44-run sixth wicket stand with West Indies teammate Fabien Allen who made only three.
Guyanese Rutherford eventually perished off the penultimate delivery of the innings, run out at the striker’s end attempting a second run.
In reply, Rizwan carved out a superb unbeaten 82 as Sultans cruised to victory in the 17th over with 21 deliveries remaining.
The right-hander slammed nine fours and two sixes, putting on 45 for the first wicket with Shan Masood (14) and a match-winning 116 for the second wicket with Sohaib Maqsood whose 61 came from 31 deliveries and included four fours and five sixes.
Left-arm spinner Allen’s four overs leaked 39 runs without a wicket.
On Saturday, Powell lashed a 19-ball unbeaten 43 with a four and five sixes as Zalmi piled up 197 for five off their 20 overs, to beat Quetta Gladiators by 61 runs.
