DUBAI - Quetta Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi by three wickets in the seventh match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The match ended on the second last ball of the second innings as Anwar Ali could not connect with Wahab Riaz delivery but ball deflected after hitting the pads between the wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and first slip when Quetta needed one run off two balls. Anwar also hit Australian paceman Shaun Tait a six off the last ball of the penultimate over to give Gladiators hope to set seven runs for last over. Zimbabwe’s Elton Chigumbra also held his nerve when he hit Wahab for a four in the last over.
The Gladiators also became the first team to bag three wins on the trot in the inaugural PSL. Gladiators are now leading the points table with six points and are followed by Peshawar Zalmi who are second with four points. Karachi Kings and Islamabad United hace both won one match each but Kings are placed one place above United for better run rate. Lahore Qalandars are still without a victory and they would face Table toppers Gladiators in the only match of today (Monday).
Kevin Pietersen played an instrumental knock of 35 runs to guide his team home while chasing a 136-run target. Sarfraz Ahmed was the second best batsman with 21 off 24 balls. Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz bagged two wicket each for Peshawar.
Earlier, Peshawar managed 135-7 against Quetta after they were sent in to bat first. Peshawar had lost five wickets for a score of 59 runs when Darren Sammy came in and scored 48 off 31 balls with the help of four maximums and one boundary. He was supported by a 25-ball 21-run innings by Shahid Yousuf.
For Quetta, left-arm spinner M Nawaz was once again the pick of the bowlers and got his second Man of the Match award in three matches. In his four over, he accounted for three Peshawar batsmen, giving away only 29 runs.
“It is a big event, I just stuck to the basics. I was not thinking about turning the ball. I wanted to bowl in good lines and lengths. I will work on my batting and learn from my mistakes,’ said a determined Nawaz.
Peshawar captain Shaid Afridi has not very much to say about his team’s performances and praised the Quetta bowling for restricting Peshawar to a modest total. He also termed the match a healthy one for the event and said People are drawn to matches like this.
Quetta captain Sarfraz said it was tight match as two good teams played it. “We have bonded and gelled well. Anwar and Chigumbura did well and won the match for us. I believed in them.”

Scoreboard

PESHAWAR ZALMI:
Tamim Iqbal c Nabi b Nawaz 14
M Hafeez c Chigumbura b Nawaz 10
D Malan c Sarfraz b Gul 18
Kamran Akmal c Nawaz b Babar 6
Shahid Yousuf c & b Nawaz 21
Shahid Afridi c Babar b Gul 0
D Sammy c Nawaz b Anwar 48
Wahab Riaz not out 10
Junaid Khan not out 0
EXTRAS: (lb2, w6) 8
TOTAL: (7 wkts; 20 overs) 135
FOW: 1-22, 2-24, 3-43, 4-59, 5-59, 6-116, 7-129
BOWLING: Anwar Ali 4-0-38-1, M Nabi 4-0-29-0, Zulfiqar Babar 4-0-15-1, M Nawaz 4-0-29-3, Umar Gul 3-0-19-2, Akbar-ur-Rehman 1-0-3-0
QUETTA GLADIATORS:
L Wright b Afridi 16
Ahmed Shehzad c Akmal b Tait 16
K Pietersen c Afridi b Junaid 35
Sarfraz Ahmed c Malan b Afridi 21
M Nawaz c Malan b Wahab 4
Akbar-ur-Rehman st Akmal b Asghar 11
M Nabi c Akmal b Wahab 9
E Chigumbura not out 7
Anwar Ali not out 10
EXTRAS: (lb5, w5) 10
TOTAL: (7 wkts; 19.5 overs) 139
FOW: 1-35, 2-35, 3-73, 4-79, 5-96, 6-116, 7-118
BOWLING: M Asghar 4-0-27-1, S Tait 4-0-32-1, Shahid Afridi 4-1-17-2, Wahab Riaz 3.5-0-29-2, Junaid Khan 4-0-29-1
TOSS: Quetta Gladiators
UMPIRES: Rashid Riaz, Shozab Raza
TV UMPIRE: J Wilson (WI)
MATCH REFEREE: M Anees (Pak).