KARACHI: The night belonged to the Quetta Gladiators as the Sarfraz-11 finally lifted the trophy after a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League-4 final at the National Stadium.
Fast bowler Muhammad Hasnain's 3-30 and Ahmed Shehzad's unbeaten 59 played a pivotal in scripting a decisive victory for the Gladiators.
The Quetta bowling attack restricted Peshawar Zalmi to 138 on the loss of eight wickets. In response to it the Gladiators chased the score in 17.5 overs.
Albeit Shane Watson(7)’s run-out and Ahsan Ali (25)’s soft dismissal by Wahab Riaz, the chase remained a walk in the park for the Gladiators.
Quetta Gladiators drew the first blood with timely wickets of Peshawar Zalmi openers, Imamul Haq(3) and Kamran Akmal (21). The wicket-takers, Muhammad Hasnain and Muhammad Nawaz, forced Sammy’s team in defensive.
Sohaib Maqsood (20), the middle-order batsman, contrary to expectations fell short to play a solid inning before leaving the crease after a soft dismissal on slow ball yorker.
Umar Amin with his failed pull shot cut short his time at the field with 38 off 33 on Hasnain’s ball but his prize wicket was of Pollard (7).
A wary Sammy (18) couldn’t deliver in the death overs of the game, while he chooses not to give the strike to Wahab Riaz, he wasn’t able to connect the ball with his strikes either. DJ Bravo took two wickets while Fawad Ahmed and Muhammad Nawaz picked one each.
