In the 12th match of the eighth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Islamabad United defeated Peshawar Zalmi by six wickets, led by Afghanistan’s opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz. With a score of 80-1, United was already in charge of the run chase, and Rahmanullah was impossible to stop on the powerplay. United won their second of three matches thanks to the right-handed batter’s 62 runs off just 31 pitches. Even though Gurbaz lost his opening partner Colin Munro in the third over, his powerful knock included seven boundaries and four. When Arshad destroyed Munro, he only scored nine runs.
After bowling Munro clean in the third over, Arshad took revenge on Munro. On the previous ball, Munro struck him for an important goal. On the middle stump, Arshad made a strong comeback to eliminate him. Asif Ali scored quick 29 runs, including a boundary and three sixes, and Rassie van der Dussen contributed 42 runs to complete the two-time champions’ chase. Zalmi, Jimmy Neesham, Arshad, and Usman Qadir each shared a wicket.
Prior to that, United’s senior pacer Hassan Ali boosted confidence by picking up a few quick wickets in the middle, allowing them to take control of the game with the ball. Babar Azam, the captain of Zalmi, fought hard despite losing wickets at the other end. Despite a quick start, Peshawar managed to score 156-8 in 20 overs. After Peshawar got off to a strong start thanks to goals from Babar and Mohammad Haris, Hassan scored three times to put United in control.
In 42 balls, the two batters combined to score 72 runs for the first wicket. Shadab Khan, the captain of United, struck, breaking the first-innings partnership, and Haris was sent back to the pavilion after scoring 40 runs in 21 balls. Saim Ayub was the second batter to leave, and Mubasir Khan, an upcoming Islamabad player, bowled him out with a sensational delivery. There were only three runs scored when the left-handed batter left.
United’s best was yet to come when pacer Hasan Ali, playing his first PSL 8 match, struck twice in his second over to position the two-time champions in command. He sent Rovman Powell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore back to the pavilion. Babar struck once more, dismissing the New Zealander with a short delivery just as the right-arm pacer was about to form a partnership with Jimmy Neesham.
After that, United continued to consistently take wickets, but Babar held firm. He had seven boundaries and a maximum, which helped him score 75 runs without taking a hit. United’s Hassan took three wickets, while Shadab, Rumman Raees, Faheem Ashraf, and Mubasir each took one.
TOSS
In Thursday’s 12th match of the ongoing eighth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi, Islamabad United chose to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi after winning the toss. After three games, Peshawar is currently third in the points table with four points. After two matches, Islamabad is in fifth place with two points.
The team led by Babar Azam won their season opener against Karachi Kings, but they lost to Multan Sultans, league leaders, in their second match of the event. However, in their third match against the Quetta Gladiators, the Yellow Storm made a comeback. Meanwhile, Islamabad lost to Multan Sultans in their second PSL match after defeating Karachi in the first.
Peshawar Zalmi Eleven Side
- Babar Azam (c)
- Mohammad Haris
- Saim Ayub
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore
- Rovman Powell
- Dasun Shanaka
- Jimmy Neesham
- Wahab Riaz
- Usman Qadir
- Arshad Iqbal
- Sufyan Muqeem.
Islamabad United Eleven Side
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
- Colin Munro
- Rassie van der Dussen
- Shadab Khan (c)
- Azam Khan (wk)
- Asif Ali
- Mubasir Khan
- Tom Curran
- Faheem Ashraf
- Rumman Raees
- Hasan Ali
Technical Analysis
Islamabad United registered a comprehensive victory over Peshawar Zalmi in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League’s eighth season. The six-wicket win was led by Afghanistan’s opening batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who smashed an unbeaten 62 off just 31 deliveries to chase down the target of 157 with ease. United had already taken charge of the run chase with a score of 80-1, and Gurbaz was unstoppable on the powerplay. He hit seven boundaries and four sixes in his knock and was adjudged the player of the match.
Although Gurbaz lost his opening partner Colin Munro early in the innings, the right-handed batter’s power-packed knock propelled United to their second win of the season. Asif Ali contributed 29 runs, including a boundary and three sixes, while Rassie van der Dussen scored 42 to complete the chase. For Zalmi, Jimmy Neesham, Arshad Iqbal, and Usman Qadir shared a wicket each.
Earlier, United’s senior pacer Hassan Ali picked up three quick wickets to give his team control of the game with the ball. Despite losing wickets at the other end, Zalmi captain Babar Azam fought hard and scored 75 runs off 59 deliveries, including seven boundaries and a maximum. Mohammad Haris contributed 40 runs, but Zalmi could only manage 156-8 in their allotted 20 overs.
United’s best was yet to come when pacer Hassan Ali, playing his first PSL 8 match, struck twice in his second over to put the two-time champions in command. He sent Rovman Powell and Tom Kohler-Cadmore back to the pavilion. Babar struck once more, dismissing the New Zealander with a short delivery just as the right-arm pacer was about to form a partnership with Jimmy Neesham. United continued to consistently take wickets, but Babar held firm and fought till the end.
United won the toss and elected to bowl first. Peshawar got off to a strong start with Babar and Mohammad Haris scoring 72 runs for the first wicket in just 42 balls. However, United’s pacer Hassan Ali turned the game around with his quick wickets in the middle overs. United’s captain Shadab Khan and young talent Mubasir Khan also chipped in with a wicket each.
After three games, Peshawar is currently third in the points table with four points, while Islamabad is in fifth place with two points. Peshawar won their season opener against Karachi Kings, but they lost to Multan Sultans, league leaders, in their second match of the event. However, in their third match against the Quetta Gladiators, they made a comeback. Meanwhile, Islamabad lost to Multan Sultans in their second PSL match after defeating Karachi in the first.
In conclusion, Islamabad United’s six-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi was a clinical performance with both bat and ball. Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s unbeaten 62 and Hassan Ali’s three wickets were the standout performances of the match. Peshawar will have to regroup and bounce back in their upcoming matches, while Islamabad will look to build on their momentum and climb up the points table.
Conclusion
Islamabad United secured a convincing victory over Peshawar Zalmi in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League. The highlight of the match was Afghanistan’s opening batter, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who scored an impressive 62 runs off just 31 pitches, leading United to their second win of the tournament. Peshawar’s Babar Azam fought hard with a score of 75 runs, but United’s bowlers, led by Hassan Ali, took control of the game and restricted Zalmi to a total of 156-8. Overall, it was a well-rounded performance by Islamabad United, showcasing their depth and ability to perform under pressure.