Dubai : Peshawar Zalmi pulled off a nail-biting three wicket win after Lahore Qalandars were bowled out for 59 in 10.2 overs, the lowest score in Pakistan Super League history.
It was a bowlers' day at the Dubai International stadium. Peshawar won with 18 balls to spare but after a fierce battle to reach the small total. Eoin Morgan top scored with 23 after Peshawar’s spinner Yasir Shah took four wickets for seven runs.
Peshawar won the toss and opted to field. Lahore lost their skipper Brendon McCullum in the first over for a duck. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar had McCullum pull the last ball of the first over of the match to Dawid Malan at deep mid-wicket.
The second over from medium pacer Hasan Ali was disastrous for Lahore. He had Jason Roy hit his third delivery straight to Chris Jordan at mid-off for 9. Off the last ball Hasan also removed Umar Akmal, who chased a wide delivery and Mohammad Hafeez at second slip took a spectacular catch tumbling to his left. It was Akmal’s second duck in three innings.
Fakhar Khan tried to hit his way out of trouble hitting Hafeez for a boundary to mid-wicket and also lifting Hafeez for a six over long on. In the fourth over, Grant Elliott too fell for a duck to Hasan Ali. Elliott hung his bat out and Sammy at slip took the catch. Four wickets were down for 27 in 3.3 overs.
Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar added another 20 runs before Rizwan hit Wahab Riaz to Eoin Morgan at cover for 11. Next man Sunil Narine too quickly departed hitting Hafeez to Jordan at long on. The procession of batsmen continued with Sohail Tanvir too getting run out, Shahid Afridi clean bowled Bilawal Bhatti in the 10th over. Fakhar who fought a lone battle to score 33 runs fell to Jordan for 33 with wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal picking the edge. Lahore innings ended in 10.2 overs for 59 runs when Jordan had Mohammad Irfan too caught behind for the fourth duck of the innings.
Peshawar, needing just 5.70 runs per over began with opener Dawid Malan getting trapped leg before by Tanvir in the second over for 1. Opener Hafeez too followed stumped by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 3. Two wickets were down for four runs. Lahore attacked through Yasir who made Kamran Akmal (3) loft the ball and Elliott took a good running catch. Eoin Morgan kept the score board moving picking the gaps elegantly. When Peshawar needed another 13 more runs, Shahid Afridi fell lofting Narine to Elliott at deep mid-wicket for 13.
Yasir also quickly removed Sohaib Maqsood for a duck in the 12th over. In the same over Yasir dismissed danger man Morgan too, caught by Fakhar at short leg for 23. Shah clean bowled Sammy when Peshawar needed nine runs. Chris Jordan and Wahab Riaz held on to ensure the victory.
Brief scores:
Peshawar Zalmi bt Lahore Qalandars by three wickets.
Lahore Qalandars 59 in 10.2 overs (Fakhar Zaman 33, Hasan Ali 3 for 23, Chris Jordan 2 for 8) Peshawar Zalmi 60 for 7 in 17 overs (Eoin Morgan 23, Yasir Shah 4 for 7, Sunil Narine 2 for 16).
