Sharjah. Skipper Darren Sammy, fighting an injury to his leg, steered Peshawar Zalmi to an exciting five-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators with two balls to spare in the 10th match of the Pakistan Super League at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday night

Peshawar, after restricting Quetta to 141 for 8 in 20 overs, raced to the target despite needing 28 runs from the last 18 balls. Sammy remained unbeaten with 16 crucial runs.

Peshawar won the toss and elected to field. Quetta opener Asad Shafiq fell in the third over hitting to Sabbir Rahman at midwicket off Sameen Gul for 9. Shane Watson, who was joined by Umar Amin, added 50 runs for the second wicket before Amir hit Darren Sammy high to Wahab Riaz at long on for 11.

Watson look set for a half century when in the 10th over Khalid Umsan bowled him with a delivery that kept low for 47. At the half way mark, Quetta were 68 for 3.

Kevin Pietersen and Rilee Rossouw took the score to 83 when Pietersen hit high to Mohammad Asghar off Sammy for 5. Skipper Sarfraz Ahmad joined Rossouw who put on 42 runs for the fifth wicket when Umaid Asif had Rossouw on 37 caught at long on by Sabbir Rahman. Wahab Riaz had Sarfaz’s off stump cartwheeling for 17. Asif hit Umaid Asif high to long on for 37. Next man, Anwar Ali hit Riaz for a six but his back heel touched the stump while doing so and was declared out hit wicket for 3.

Quetta thus posted 141 for 8 with Sammy, Riaz and Asif taking two wickets each.

Chasing the total, Peshawar openers Kamran Akmal lasted only eight balls to score ten run before falling to Watson by hitting high to mid-on. Dwayne Smith joined opener Tamim Iqbal and they put on 30 runs when Mohammad Nawaz clean bowled Smith with a delivery that went through the bat and pad gap to hit the stumps for 23.

Iqbal and Mohammad Hafeez took Peshawar past the 100 runs mark when Hafeez played into the hands of Hasan Khan at point off John Hasting for 29. Soon Iqbal got run out for 36 when Anwar Ali produced a brilliant flat throw from third man boundary to wicketkeeper Sarfraz. Peshawar needed 28 runs off the last 18 balls. Mohammad Nawaz gave away only six runs in that over. Peshawar then needed 22 off the last 12 balls. Rahat Ali got Shabbir Rahman caught at midwicket for 11. An injured Darren Sammy came out to bat and hit Rahat Ali for a six over long onto make it ten runs to win off the last six balls.

Sammy hit the second ball of the last over from Anwar Ali for a six over deep square leg and thrashed the fourth ball for a boundary past mid-off to win the match.

Brief scores: Peshawar Zalmi bt Quetta Gladiators by five wickets. Quetta Gladiators 141 for 8 in 20 overs (Shane Watson 47, Rilee Rossouw 37, Umaid Asif 2 for 18, Wahab Riaz, 2 for 16, Darren Sammy 2 for 21) Peshawar Zalmi 143 for 5 in 19.4 overs (Tamim Iqbal 36, Dwayne Smith 23, Mohammad Hafeez 29) Man of the match: Darren Sammy.