PSL 2021: Table-toppers Lahore Qalandars defeat Peshawar Zalmi by 10 runs

Lahore Qalandars are emerging as a formidable side after Rashid Khan's five-wicket haul and Tim David's 64 helped the team defeat Peshawar Zalmi at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium to retain the top position at the points table.

The Qalandars defeated Zalmi by 10 runs to get two crucial points in their hunt for their first PSL title.

Lahore had set a target of 171 for the Wahab Riaz led Peshawar and posted 160/8 courtesy Shoiab Malik's 73. Qalandars were asked to bat first by Zalmi after winning to toss.

At the start of the innings, Australian all-rounder James Faulkner, who is enjoying a good run in the PSL, dismissed the openers in his first over of the game.

Both Haider Ali and Kamran Akmal were dismissed within four balls for 1 and 4, respectively.

However, a 51-run partnership between Shoaib Malik and Miller was helping the Zalmi build their innings. But Rashid Khan proved why he is number one in the world after he gave his team two quick wickets of Miller and West Indian Rovmen Powell.

Miller had left after making 21 while Powell was dismissed for a duck.

Rashid was brought back in the attack by Sohail and in his third over he once again took the wickets of Sherfane Rutherford and Fabian Allen.

Meanwhile, Shoaib Malik was being well assisted by Wahab Riaz before the Afghan leggie dismissed the Peshawar Zalmi skipper to take his fifth wicket.

Rashid ended with the figures 5 for 20 with one maiden over.

Meanwhile, Malik's looked like he would take his team over the victory line but got hit-wicket in Haris Rauf's over. It was also Rauf's 100th wicket in T20s.

After Malik's departure, Umaid Asif hit three sixes but it proved to be too much for him.

Lahore Qalandars innings

Earlier, Qalandars had fought back from 25/4 to post 170/8 courtesy Tim David, Ben Dunk, and James Faulkner.

Skipper Sohail Akhtar and Fakhar Zaman had opened the innings for the Qalandars, while Wahab Riaz took it on himself to open the bowling for his side.

The move by the Zalmi skipper paid dividends as he removed the dangerous Zaman for one from the fifth ball of the match. He also bowled a maiden over after that to create pressure on Qalandars.

The fiery spell by the bowler added pressure on the Qalandars, and Akhtar was dismissed by Mohammad Irfan in the following over.

Once Riaz and Irfan ended their spells, Umaid Asif joined the party and took the key wicket of Mohammad Hafeez.

Following the end of the powerplay, the Zalmi did not give any room to the Qalandars. And in the next over, Riaz ended the innings of struggling Muhammad Faizan after he took a scintillating catch off Mohammad Imran's bowling in the seventh over.

At that point, Lahore was at 25/4, and it looked like the team would crumble against Zalmi’s pace attack.

However, Singapore's Tim David and Australia's Ben Dunk consolidated the Qalandars' innings, and their 81-run partnership helped the team reach 106. But the partnership ended after Dunk was dismissed for 46 by Fabian Allen.

However, David continued his onslaught, and a 22-run cameo by James Faulkner helped the Australian-born batsman take Qalandars to 170/8. David had ended his innings at 64 not out from 36 balls.

For Zalmi, Fabian Allen took two wickets, while Riaz, Irfan, Asif, and Imran were able to pick up a wicket each.

Squads:

Peshawar Zalmi: Kamran Akmal (wk), Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, David Miller, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Fabian Allen, Wahab Riaz (c), Umaid Asif, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Imran

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar (c.), Muhammad Faizan, Mohammed Hafeez, Ben Dunk (wk), Tim David, James Faulkner, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Ahmed Daniyal, Haris Rauf