Dubai: Peshawar Zalmi’s all-round bowling attack helped them outplay Islamabad United by 24 runs in their first match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Dubai International Stadium.

It was a treat to watch Peshawar destroy Islamabad’s formidable batting line-up through Australian right arm pacer Shaun Tait, Pakistan’s left-arm speedster Wahab Riaz and left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar. Tait picked two wickets while Riaz and Asghar took three wickets each to restrict Islamabad to 121 for 9 in 20 overs.

Earlier, Peshawar had posted a challenging 145 for seven in 20 overs, with Bangladesh’s hard-hitting opener Tamim Iqbal cracking a run-a-ball 51 runs with three boundaries and a six.

Cheered on by a nearly 20,000-strong weekend crowd, Peshawar captain Shahid Afridi won the toss and elected to bat. Majority of the fans cheered for Afridi wanting to see him hit sixes but he fell for 16 after hitting only one six. 
Shane Watson removed Peshawar opener Mohammad Hafeez quickly by having him caught behind for 11. Saeed Ajmal, who bowled tightly giving away just 19 runs from his four overs, picked the prize wicket of Kamran Akmal for 8. Andre Russell took all the three main wickets, he had Afridi caught and bowled and also ended Iqbal’s fighting knock and then bowled Shahid Yousuf for 16 and returned with figures of 3 for 31.

Islamabad chased the total poorly. Tait struck the first blow - bowling opener Sharjeel Khan for eight. Asghar too struck two vital blows with his accurate spin dismissing Babar Azam for a duck and Umar Amin for four. Riaz won his usual duel with Watson by having him caught by Hafeez at point. Asghar forced skipper Misbah-ul-Haq to play into the hands of Dawid Malan at long-off for 12. Half the Islamabad side back in the pavilion for 66 in 11 overs, Peshawar then went for the kill.

Asghar went on to take two spectacular catches. The first was a powerful cut from Russell off Riaz which he dived and took brilliantly and another of Sam Billing which was also a powerful cut which he took over the shoulder. It was Islamabad’s second successive defeat after losing to Quetta Gladiators in the opening match.

Brief scores

Peshawar Zalmi bt Islamabad United by 24 runs. Peshawar 145 for seven in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 51, Andre Russell 3 for 31) vs Islamabad 121 for 9 in 20 overs (Shane Watson 28, Sam Billings 26; Mohammad Asghar 3 for 20, Wahab Riaz 3 for 23, Shaun Tait 2 for 24) Man of the match: Mohammad Asghar.