A 90-run partnership between Ahmed Shehzad and Kevin Pietersen put Quetta Gladiators on top against Peshawar Zalmi in the first playoff of the Pakistan Super League 2017 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
At the end of 12 over, Gladiators were 138-3 as Shehzad and Pietersen got out against Darren Sammy and Wahab Riaz.
Both batsmen plundered the bowling of Zalmi to all parts of the ground, hitting massive sixes all around.
Hasan Ali, Wahab Riaz and Darren Sammy picked one each for Zalmi.
Zalmi won the toss and elected to field first. Captain Darren Sammy at the toss said, “Hopefully, we can restrict them to a good total like we have done before.
He said that the teams that finished on top have two bites of the cherry but he wants to go through with one.
Sarfraz Ahmed said that he is looking at a 170-ish total. He said that the team is well prepared.
The winner of this game will be through to the final of the tournament, scheduled to be held at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on March 5. The losing team will get another opportunity to secure a place in the final by facing the winner of the second playoff (Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings) on March 3.
