PESHAWAR (APP): In the second eliminator of the 9th edition of the HBL-Pakistan Super League, Islamabad United crushed Peshawar Zalmi’s dream of reaching the final for the fifth time thanks to an unbeaten partnership of 98 runs by Imad Wasim and Haider Ali.
In another sensational match of PSL, Islamabad qualified for the final of the event for the third time by claiming victory. Peshawar Zalmi was defeated by 5 wickets in Ely Monitor 2. Peshawar Zalmi’s dream of playing the final for the fifth time in Karachi’s National Bank Arena could not be fulfilled.
After a one-sided match in the first qualifier of (PSL), they defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 79 runs and reached the final. And so, under the leadership of Rizwan, the franchise won the honor of reaching the final for the fourth time in a row.
This is a new record as from the beginning of HBL-PSL-9th, Peshawar Zalmi’s bowling looked weak and this bowling on wickets favorable for batting. The average remained the same. The bowling of Multan Sultans was the best in this HBL-Pakistan Super League’s 9th edition.
The second place was the bowling of Islamabad United. Even in this match against Peshawar Zalmi, at one point Peshawar Zalmi was in a good position and it seemed that will cross the mark of 200, but due to Islamabad’s best bowling, it was limited to 185 runs, which was not a difficult target on Karachi’s good pitch.
On this occasion, Imad Wasim played a match-winning innings of 59 runs off 40 balls while Hyder Ali scored a brilliant 52 runs off 29 balls. An unbeaten partnership of 98 runs and won the match by five wickets to reach the final for the third time.
Islamabad had a disappointing start and the first three wickets fell for 21 runs with Alex Hales one, Agha Salman five and Shadab Khan bowled out on no score and returned to the pavilion. Martin Guptill scored 34 runs and Azam Khan got out with 22 runs. After that, Imad Wasim and Hyder Ali played an unbeaten aggressive innings and played an important role in the team’s victory. Saim Ayub got two wickets for 34 runs.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi, batting first, scored 185 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in the stipulated overs and set Islamabad United a target of 186 runs to win. Saim Ayub played a brilliant innings of 73 runs, 6 in his innings. Fours and four sixes were included. The team of Peshawar Zalmi made three changes Hussain Talat, Arif Yaqoob and Khurram Shahzad were given a chance in the match.
Peshawar Zalmi scored his fifty runs in 5.2 overs without any loss and the whole ground was echoing with Babar’s voice. Naseem Shah dismissed Babar Azam wherein Shadab took a brilliant catch and brought the team back into the match.
Naseem Shah’s spell proved decisive as he did not allow the 200 mark to be crossed and then, in favorable batting conditions, Peshawar fell well short of a tight total. Mohammad Haris, who was constantly unsuccessful, put up some resistance and played an innings of 40 runs. Apart from them, Babar Azam scored 25 runs, Tom Kholar Cadmore scored 18 runs and Romain Powell scored 2 runs. Naseem Shah dismissed three players for Islamabad.
PSL 9’s Haneef Muhammad cap has fallen to Babar Azam. He has scored 569 runs in 11 matches. The best innings was 111 runs. He scored five half-centuries and one century during this time. He is the closest batsman to Babar Azam. In international matches, his opening partner Mohammad Rizwan has scored 381 runs.
Mohammad Rizwan has scored four half-centuries. Multan Sultans’ Mohammad Usman is third in this list who has scored 373 runs, which includes two centuries. His best innings was 106 runs. The fourth number is Dosan of Lahore Qalandar who scored 364 runs thanks to one century and three half-centuries. The best innings was 104 runs. The fifth number is Saim Ayub of Peshawar Zalmi who scored two half-centuries in eleven matches. He scored 345 runs with the help of half-centuries. In terms of sixes, Saeem Ayub is on top this season with 21 scalps. In bowling, Usama Mir of Multan Sultans, who dismissed 23 players, Mohammad Ali of Multan Sultans, who is in second place by taking 18 wickets.
On the third place is Abrar Ahmed of Quetta Gladiators who has dismissed sixteen players. In fourth place is Aqeel Hussain of Quetta who has taken 15 wickets. In fifth place is Naseem Shah of Islamabad. Shah also dismissed fifteen players with his fast balls.
The final of HBL-PSL 9 edition will be played between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United today at the National Stadium Karachi. The most popular team of Pakistan Super League, Peshawar Zalmi, defeated Quetta by 76 runs and reached the play-off stage for the 9th time.
That is a unique record. In the last 8 seasons, Peshawar Zalmi reached the final four times. Apart from them, Multan Sultans also reached the final and equaled Peshawar Zalmi’s record of four times. Islamabad, Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators three times. They have reached the final three times. Islamabad and Lahore Qalandars have won the Pakistan Super League title twice. Peshawar Zalmi, Quetta, Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings have reached this final once.
