END OF OVER:20 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | MS: 172/8 (25 runs required, RR: 8.60)
- Faisal Akram1 (2b)
- Peter Siddle1 (1b)
- Aamer Jamal2-0-29-1
- Nahid Rana4-0-24-2
That's all from us for today, folks. Thank you for tuning in. It's a rest day for the PSL tomorrow, but be sure to join us for plenty more cricket action from around the world right here on ESPNcricinfo. Take care and goodbye!
Ashton Turner: "[Chaseable total?] It wasn't far off par, maybe a couple of runs more than we'd hoped for, but we're always going to be able to nitpick. I think the outcome is such that it's a great point in the tournament for us to pause and reflect. We've been challenged tonight, and we'll take the learnings out of it. They're clearly one of the better teams in the competition, but I won't let this mask the really good cricket we've been playing so far in this campaign. [Need a few tweaks in the bowling attack?] We're still trying to work out the roles for each of our bowlers. We have some flexibility because three guys in the top seven can bowl, which allows us to play an extra specialist. Sometimes, though, having too many options gives the captain a bit of a headache. We are clearly trying to find the recipe for success with the ball, but we feel we're getting closer every game. Fair play to them; they played some really nice cricket shots tonight and performed well in both halves. I don't think we're far away from competing with the best teams, and we're anticipating that our best cricket is still ahead of us with plenty of games to go."
Player of the Match: Sufiyan Muqeem
sloWalker89: "Sad to see the contribution of Kusal Mendis was rarely discussed, he was the main pillar of PZ in last 3 matches and scoring 2 fifties with a magnificent hundred consecutively is not an easy task at all."
Yasser Saleem: "I think winning the toss and opting to field first against zalmi's is like playing in their hands. If a team is afraid of dew, why don't they score 15-20 runs extra to keep the scoreboard pressure. Nevertheless clinical performance especially by kusal mendis and then by Bangladesh quicks. Thanks to them and would love to see them back in play-offs"
hamza : "so the Zalmi defending machine trumps the Sultans chasing unit."
10:42 pm Zalmi got off to exactly the kind of start they were hoping for, picking up the wicket of Farhan inside the powerplay. Even with that early setback, Smith and Philippe didn't let things stall, keeping the runs coming and taking the score to 61 by the end of the powerplay. The game began to shift in the 10th over when Muqeem struck, tempting Smith into a sweep that ended up in the hands of deep midwicket. Philippe followed soon after in the same over, and just like that, Zalmi had removed both set batters and put themselves right back in control. Muqeem continued to make an impact later, returning to bowl Turner with a beauty, underlining why he's been so effective throughout the tournament. Sultans did try to fight back when Shan Masood provided a spark in the 15th over, taking on Jamal and smashing four boundaries. For a moment, it felt like the momentum might swing again, but Masood departed in the very next over, caught at long off after a quickfire 35 off 19. From there, Zalmi kept things tight. As the required rate went up, their bowlers stuck to their plans, picked up wickets at regular intervals, and never really let the chase get away from them. The Sultans middle and lower order couldn't quite get going, especially against the pace of Rana. In the end, Muqeem finished with three wickets, while Rana and Iftikhar chipped in with two each.
SalmanKhan : "@Hamza: Babar actually messed it up by giving 15th over to Jamal which could have been easily bowled by the two offies. The rest of the bowling order was just a no-brainer. Anyways, bundles of thanks to Nahid Rana and Shoriful for their amazing contributions to PZ family. Best wishes to them and looking forward to them in next season in yellow shirts again."
Shoaib : "Alas these (Nawaz and wasim jr) the all rounders we have been carrying for years. "
Hamza : "Brilliant captaincy from babar when the 15th over threatened a huge momentum shift. The zalmi juggernaut rolls on"
Peshawar Zalmi won by 24 runs