Peshawar Zalmi rode an attacking half-century from Englishman Tom Kohler-Cadmore as they recorded the fourth highest successful chase in Pakistan Super League (PSL) on way to a six-wicket win over Multan Sultans on Tuesday.
Chasing a steep target of 194, built around James Vince’s 55-ball knock of 84 for Multan, Kohler-Cadmore hammered 53 off 32 balls while young Haider Ali put the finishing touches with a 25 off eight balls to take the team home with an over to spare.
‘‘I just try to give my all to the team and if I can influence a game in the field, then that’s great,’’ the man of the moment said. Zalmi are now in fourth spot in the table with a win from two games in the six-team league, while Multan are in fifth postion with no wins from their two games.
The younger generation of English batsmen continued to revel in franchise cricket as earlier, Vince transformed his Big Bash form with a hurricane 84, including nine fours and three sixes and carried Multan to 193-4 after being put in to bat.
Vince featured in two solid half-century stands, adding 82 runs with captain Mohammad Rizwan (41) and then another 71 with Pakistan international Sohaib Maqsood, who made 36 off 21 balls.
Wahab Riaz, the Zalmi captain, had a forgettable game as the left-arm fast bowler conceded 51 runs off his four overs without taking a wicket. Saqib Mahmood (2-36) was the pick of Peshawar bowlers as the UK citizen scalped the wickets of Maqsood and Vince in successive death overs.
Maqsood gloved a short ball to wicketkeeper and Vince was sharply caught at square leg by tall Mohammad Irfan in the penultimate over.
Pakistan discard Kamran Akmal set the tone for Zalmi’s run-chase with 37 off 25 balls before he fell lbw to Usman Qadir’s googly. However, Kohler-Cadmore, who hit six fours and a six, and Imam-ul-Haq (48) kept Zalmi in the hunt with a 77-run partnership before Multan hit back through little-known fast bowler Mohammad Shahnawaz (2-44), who was playing his first Twenty20.
Imam was run out while going for a needless second run and Shahnawaz struck twice in the 17th over by claiming two wickets. Sherfane Rutherford was snapped up at point by West Indies Carlos Brathwaite and two balls later, Kohler-Cadmore sliced a short ball to point.
However, Shahnawaz conceded 24 in his last over as Haider and veteran Shoaib Malik smacked him for three sixes to hand Multan second loss on the trot.
Brief Scores: Multan Sultans 193/4 off 20 overs (J.Vince 84, S.Maqsood 36; S.Mahmood 2/36) vs Peshawar Zalmi 197/4 off 19 overs (Tom Kohler-Cadmore 84, I. Haq 48; M. Shahnawaz 2/44). Peshawar Zalmi won by six wickets.
