Peshawar humiliate Karachi

KARACHI: Skipper Babar Azam’s unbeaten 90 did not benefit his team as Karachi Kings tasted their fourth successive defeat when they were downed by Peshawar Zalmi by nine runs in their fixture of the HBL PSL 2022 here at the National Stadium on Friday night.

From the last over of Hussain Talat, Kings needed 29 to win but they managed 19. This was the second win from Zalmi in four matches they have played so far. Babar, who brought in his fifty off 40 balls, smacked 12 fours and one six from 63 balls as Kings were restricted to 164-6 while chasing a target of 174. This is also the 22nd fifty from Babar in his PSL career and his first in this event.

Young pacer Mohammad Umar was the pick of the bowlers with 3-22 in his quota of four overs. Earlier, Shoaib Malik (52*) hit a fine fifty while Hazratullah Zazai chipped in with 41 to enable Peshawar Zalmi to post 173-4. Set to score 174, Karachi Kings received an early blow when Shoaib Malik removed Sharjeel Khan (0) in the first over of the innings. It was a delivery that pitched wide on off-stump, moved further away, Sharjeel went for a drive and it went up with Haider Ali taking a good catch at cover-point. Sharjeel faced one ball. In the next over, Karachi-born Mohammad Umar, making his debut for Zalmi, added to Kings’ miseries when he got rid of Sahibzada Farhan (0), held at short mid-on by Ben Cutting. And Kings were 3-2 in the second over.

At this stage, Babar Azam and Ian Cockbain did well, sharing 74 runs for the third wicket stand to revive the innings. Leggie Usman Qadir broke the stand when he had Cockbain, who failed to negotiate a top leg-spin with Shoaib Malik taking a fine catch at mid-off. Liverpool-born Cockbain clobbered five fours in his 19-ball 31.

And Kings were 77-3 in ten overs. Mohammad Nabi then joined Babar but he once again failed to score big and was removed by Hussain Talat, held by Shoaib Malik in the deep on a ten-ball ten which featured one four. Aamer Yamin then tried to manage quick runs but was bowled by Mohammad Umar for a 15-ball 20 which carried two sixes which he struck off the bowling of Usman Qadir. In the same over Umar also removed Imad Wasim (0) to leave Kings reeling at 128-6 in 17.3 overs.

Babar and Lewis Gregory (8*) then made some effort but failed to guide their side to a much-needed win. Umar was ably supported by Usman Qadir (1-29 in 3), Hussain Talat (1-43 in 4) and Shoaib Malik (1-2 in 1). Pacer Salman Irshad (0-24 in 4) made a terrific effort. In his last two overs which he bowled in the death overs he conceded just eight runs which also tilted the game towards Zalmi. Shoaib Malik was declared as man of the match for his fine fifty and taking a vital wicket of Sharjeel Khan (0) besides holding a couple of fine catches.

After being invited to bat first, Hazratullah Zazai and Kamran Akmal provided a fine start to Zalmi. Zazai, playing his second game, showed his class, hitting two sixes and five fours in his 27-ball 41 before being removed by Umaid Asif. He dominated the 53 runs opening stand with Kamran Akmal. Zazai, the left-hander, wanted to hit it over mid-on, skied it, and Babar Azam took an easy catch. Zazai smacked Aamer Yamin for two sixes and two fours in the fourth over of the innings which yielded 21 runs.

Kamran Akmal was the next batsman to fall, held by Mohammad Nabi off Umaid Asif to leave Zalmi at 74-2 in the tenth over. It was a short-pitched delivery from tall Umaid, Kamran went for an upper-cut but could not clear the fielder Mohammad Nabi at deep point who took a comfortable catch. Kamran struck two fours in his 19-ball 21.

Haider Ali was expected to play a major knock but failed to do so. Haider went for a big stroke off Aamer Yamin, could not time it well and Lewis Gregory held it calmly at mid-on and Zalmi were 103-3 in the 13th over. At this stage both Shoaib Malik and Ben Cutting batted superbly, sharing 59 runs for the fourth wicket association. Umaid got rid of Cutting in the final over, held at cover by Sharjeel Khan after the right-hander smashed a six off Mohammad Imran in his 22-ball 24. Malik, dropped on 46 by Aamer Yamin off Umaid, completed his fifty off 25 balls. Malik, who hit his first fifty in the event, smacked five fours and hit Imad Wasim for two glorious straight sixes, in his unbeaten 28-ball 52.

Sherfane Rutherford, who came in the last over, struck a four-ball nine not out, also hitting Umaid for a fine six. Umaid Asif was the pick of the bowlers with 3-36 in his quota of four overs. Aamer Yamin got 1-36 in four overs. Mohammad Imran conceded 40 runs in four overs while spinner Mohammad Nabi was the most economical as he gave away 15 runs in three overs. Aleem Dar and Shozab Raza supervised the match while Iftikhar Ahmed was the match referee.

Earlier, Karachi Kings made two changes, bringing in handy Liverpool-born batsman Ian Cockbain and Mohammad Imran Junior in place of Joe Clarke and Mohammad Ilyas who has been ruled out of the PSL due to injury. Peshawar Zalmi included Mohammad Umar in place of Arish Ali Khan. Aleem Dar and Shozab Raza supervised the match while Iftikhar Ahmed was the match referee.