SHARJAH: Courtesy exceptional performance from opener Imam-ul-Haq and fast bowler Hasan Ali, Peshawar Zalmi registered a thumping x runs to win against Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League encounter at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Skipper Sammy and Haq powered Zalmi to a fighting total of 153 runs after an initial stutter. Kings were restricted to 109
Hasan Ali vindicated himself as the X factor between both the teams with his four-for 15 spell.
With his first-ball LBW to Livingston and a run-out of Babar Azam in the very next over, the fast bowler virtually ended resistance from the Kings’ camp.
Later, the bowler had his last laugh with his wickets of skipper Imad Wasim and Muhammad Aamir.
Skipper Imad Wasim and Muhammad Rizwan had little to offer for Wasim Akram and Mickey Arthur as the Zalmi bowling was too good to handle for them.
Wasim and Rizwan contributed with 26, 32*respectively.
Umaid Asif and Wahab Riaz picked one wicket each in the game.
This is the first time in the PSL history that an entire inning has gone by without a six being hit.
FIRST INNINGS
Aamir Yameen tilted the game in Kings’ favour in the second over of the innings with a splendid in-swinging bold of opener Kamran Akmal. Later on, Sikandar Raza with two wickets in a maiden over left Zalmi baffled.
Imad Wasim picked Pollard’s wicket on a duck.
The game was all going in Imad Wasim’s favour until a marvellous knock of 56 off 43 from Imamul Haq, with five boundaries and a six, gradually shifted the momentum.
Liam Dawson’s 43 off 33 complimented Haq.
And later the blistering cameo of Darren Sammy with 24 runs off 10 balls prompted concerns from the Kings’ side.
Kings started their PSL campaign on a high when they defeated Multan Sultans in a close contest by seven runs. However, they lost the next game to Lahore Qalandars by 22 runs.
