Qalandars lose in super over thriller

LAHORE: As bowlers dominated the final group game of the Pakistan Super League-7, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Lahore Qalandars in the super over, here at Gaddafi Stadium on Monday.

Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi singlehandedly made the difference between the two teams when he smacked 23 runs in the final over that pushed the match into a one-over eliminator.

Fakhar Zaman and Harry Brook took guard from Lahore in the super over and could produce five runs off Wahab Riaz. Chasing six runs for a win, Peshawar drafted in Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Haris and the veteran all-rounder pounded Shaheen for two back-to-back fours on the first two balls, winning the match for Zalmis.

In the fluctuating 30th match of the ongoing PSL, first Lahore bowlers with a combined effort restricted the rival team batters to 158 for seven and in a similar manner, Zalmi bowlers defended its score well and kept a lid on Qalandars flow of runs. However, Lahore managed 158 for eight in their quota of overs to get a tie.

Though, this match did not change the final four teams – Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Lahore Qalandars and Islamabad United - which are to play the playoffs, its results however shuffled the second and third number teams on the points table. Now Peshawar jumpedto second position while Lahore is pushed down to third.

In the first qualifier playoff, Multan will meet Peshawar Zalmi/ Lahore Qalandars on February 23 (Wednesday) while in the eliminator playoff, Lahore Qalandars/ Peshawar Zalmi will take on Islamabad United on Feb 24 (Thursday).

Like Lahore bowlers, Peshawar attack also kept the line tight and took early wickets. The fall of Lahore’s in-form batter Fakhar Zaman on the very first ball pushed them on the back foot. Shoaib Malik delivered the ball on leg stump and Fakhar tried to push it away on the leg side, which took a thick inside edge onto pad and in the hands of Kamran Akmal.

Fakhar’s wicket developed pressure on Qalandars, who never recovered from that early blow. Lahore kept losing wickets after an addition of every 10 to 20 runs on board. Only veteran-campaigner Mohammad Hafeez stood in the middle and in between Zalmi’s win. With the wicket of Hafeez, who was the highest scorer from Lahore side with 49 off 44 balls, Zalmi were in total control but then Shaheen Shah Afridi stood there to dictate terms. Thus the final over stirred quite a sensation in which Lahore needed 24 with Shaheen facing Mohammad Umer, who threw a first wide. And Shaheen was in a different mood as he afterwards hit a four and three sixes to tie the score and take the match into the super over. Shaheen remained not out at 39 that came in 20 balls. He slashed four sixes and two fours.

Other notable Lahore scorers were Kamran Ghulam (25), Phil Salt (14) and Sohail Akhtar (19). Arshad Iqbal and Wahab Raiz took two wickets each from Peshawar attack while Shoaib Malik, Khalid Usman, Mohammad Umar and Amad Butt chipped in with one apiece.

Electing to bat, Peshawar Zalmi succeeded in getting 158 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Banking on veteran Shoaib Malik’s courageous 32 in 28 balls, Zalmi managed to bolster its score.

Openers Mohammad Haris and Hazratullah Zazai were unable to give the start Zalmi was looking for and Qalandars’ bowler Haris Rauf separated them in the second over, claiming the wickets of Haris for six.

Zazai, however, remained stay put for a while and also enjoyed a brief partnership with Kamran Akmal, but the Afghan batter became the victim of Mohammad Hafeez, who took an easy catch on his own bowling in the sixth over.

He made 20 in 16 balls. Kamran also did not stay much long to the crease and fall to debutant Fawad Ahmed after reaching 18 runs.

Haider Ali and Malik, however, cautiously and gradually developed rebuilt Zalmi’s score with a solid 58 runs partnership. In the 14th over, Fawad came in between their partnership when he made Malik loft the ball to long-on for Brook to take an easy catch. In the very next over, Malik’s partner in Zalmi crisis time, Haider also went back in almost a similar fashion. His catch was taken by Shaheen at extra cover off David Wiese.

As Malik smashed one boundary and a six in his innings, Haider, in his 25 off 22 balls, hit two boundaries and a six. After their departure, Hussain Talat and Khalid Usman could make into double figure. As Amad Butt (9) and Wahab Riaz (for just one) were back in the pavilion, Hussain Talat remained unbeaten for his 17 and Khalid Usman contributed 11-ball 19. For the Qalandars, Fawad bagged two wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris, Mohammad Hafeez, and David Wiese shared one wicket each.