LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi on Sunday crushed Lahore Qalandars by 8 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 9.
Qalandars’ Rassie van der Dussen smashed the first century of PSL Season 9, but it wasn’t enough to give his side their first win of the tournament.
The South African remained unbeaten on 105 off 52 balls in a chase of 212. This was Lahore’s fifth straight defeat of the season while Zalmi made it back-to-back wins.
Van der Dussen played like a lone warrior throughout the chase with minor contributions from other batters. Shai Hope made 29 while Ahsan Bhatti scored 20.
Jahandad Khan (13) tried to help Van der Dussen but Paul Walter made the task difficult in the final overs.
Van der Dussen’s innings included seven fours and five sixes. He batted with a strike rate of 200.
Pacer Naveen-ul-Haq took two wickets while Walter, Luke Wood and Salman Irshad took one each.
Earlier, after being put into bat first by Shaheen Afridi, the Zalmi line-up dominated the bowling attack of the depleted Qalandars and put up a substantial total on the scoreboard thanks to a sustained opening partnership.
Zalmi openers Babar Azam and Ayub came into the fray aggressively against the hosts, putting on 136 runs for the first wicket in just 14.2 overs.
Ayub played a dominant role in starting the partnership, with Azam constantly rotating the strike. Unfortunately, the skipper’s stint ended in disappointment, falling prey to Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 15th over, just two runs short of a well-deserved half-century.
Azam’s innings included 48 runs off 36 deliveries, including five boundaries. Ayub then partnered hard-hitting batsman Rovman Powell, keeping the momentum going.
The duo quickly added 39 runs in 16 deliveries before Afridi dismissed Ayub in the 18th over. Ayub emerged as the top scorer for Zalmi, amassing 88 runs off 55 balls, with eight boundaries and four sixes.
After Ayub’s departure, Powell took control of Zalmi’s campaign, contributing to the total with a quick knock that ended in the penultimate delivery of the innings. Powell’s attacking innings included five boundaries and two sixes, culminating in a 20-ball 46.
Powell found support from wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Haris in the latter stages, who remained unbeaten on 12 runs off just five deliveries.
Afridi spearheaded the Qalandars’ bowling attack, claiming 3/33, while Jahadad Khan secured a wicket.
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