PSL 7: Islamabad United thrash Peshawar Zalmi by 9 wicket

Karachi: Islamabad United on Sunday thrashed Peshawar Zalmi by nine wickets in the fifth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at National Stadium in Karachi.

United’s opener Alexander Daniel Hales and Paul Robert Stirling helped team to this victory. Hales and Stirling started an aggressive inning and smashed 50 in partnership in just three overs, making it one of the fastest fifty in the history of the PSL.

Both the openers hit 50 off just 18 balls with seven fours and three sixes. It was the second-fastest 50 of the PSL. No bowler of Zalmi was able to hold charged Stirling and Hales from sending the balls to the boundary. They shared 100 in partnership with an average of 11.8 runs per over. Hales smashed 50 off 32 balls with eight fours and one six.

Stirling returned to the pavilion after scoring 57 runs off 25 balls when suffered a run-out by Zalmi’s skipper Wahab Riaz on the Hussain Talat’s delivery.

Peshawar Innings 

Peshawar Zalmi set169-run target for Islamabad United in the fifth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) tournament.

Islamabad United’s bowlers destroyed the top-order batting line of Peshawar Zalmi as they lost the fourth wicket at just 35 runs in the clash.

United’s pacer Hasan Ali drew the first blood for his team after taking the wicket of Tom Kohler Cadmore in the opening over. He was bowled for a duck.

In the third over, Faheem Ashraf sent Yasir Khan back to the pavilion when he was playing on 14. Ashraf bagged his second wicket in the fifth over. Shadab Khan bowled Haider Ali in the sixth over when the team’s total score was just 35.

However, the team’s middle-order batters steered the team to a 168-run total. Experienced Shoaib Malik made 25 runs off 22 balls with two fours and one six. He shared over a 73-run partnership with Sherfane Rutherford.

Sherfane Rutherford made unbeaten 70 precocious runs off 46 balls with seven fours and three sixes and remained not out. Ben Cutting, however, added 26 runs to his team’s total.

Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf took two wickets each, while Mohammad Wasim Jr and Shadab Khan bagged one wicket each in the match.

Zalmi made 168 for the loss of six wickets.

Earlier, Islamabad United’ skipper Shadab Khan wont the toss and decides to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi.

Both teams have so far played 16 matches against each other in PSL history, with Zalmi winning eight and United seven.

Islamabad United’s pacer Hasan Ali drew the first blood for his team after taking Tom Kohler Cadmore's wicket in the opening over.

Islamabad United bowlers destroyed the top-order batting line of Peshawar Zalmi as they lost the fourth wicket at just 35 runs.

Earlier, the Zalmis did a marvellous job by conquering Gladiators by five wickets when they chased a 191-run target with just two balls to spare. Shoaib Malik (48*) and Hussain Talat (52) set up Zalmi’s win with their positive batting.

Playing XI:

Peshawar Zalmi XI: Peshawar Zalmi XI: Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Yasir Khan, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Hussain Talat, Sherfane Rutherford, Ben Cutting, Wahab Riaz (C), Sohail Khan, Pat Brown, Usman Qadir

Islamabad United XI: Shadab Khan (c), PR Stirling, AD Hales, Mubashir Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Azam Khan (wk), Asif Ali, , Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Hasan Ali, Marchant de Lange