LAHORE, Pakistan, CMC – Peshawar Zalmi overcame Rovman Powell’s failure to produce a 200-plus total and edge Islamabad United by eight runs, in a high-scoring contest in the Pakistan Super league here yesterday.
Powell, the West Indies Twenty20 skipper, scored only eight but Zalmi, coached by West Indies T20 head coach Darren Sammy, recovered to pile up 201 for five off their 20 overs, after being sent in at Gaddafi Stadium.
Pakistan captain Babar Azam carved out a stellar unbeaten 111 off 63 balls, the right-hander striking 14 fours and two sixes in notching his 10th T20 hundred.
He put on 77 for the first wicket with Saim Ayub (38) and 77 in an unbroken sixth wicket stand with Asif Ali (17 not out), after Zalmi lost five wickets for 47 runs to tumble to 124 for five in the 15th over. Powell was fifth out in the 15th over, nicking behind off 21-year-old seamer Naseem Shah. In reply, Azam Khan top-scored with 75 off 30 balls and opener Colin Munro slammed 71 off 53 deliveries as Islamabad United put up a fight before finishing on 193 for nine off 20 overs.
The innings was stumbling at 73 for three at the half-way mark before the pair came together in a fourth wicket stand of 108, to turn the game into a real contest.
Azam, a frequent campaigner in the Caribbean Premier League, struck half-dozen fours and half-dozen sixes while Munro, also a familiar face in the CPL, punched seven fours and a six.
Arif Yaqoob, a 29-year-old leg-spinner, became the first bowler to take four wickets in an over in the PSL when he picked up four scalps in the penultimate over to derail Islamabad’s run chase.
