Tag: Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi

RAWALPINDI: Rilee Rossouw struck the fastest century of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and fired Multan Sultans to pull off the highest run chase to down hapless Peshawar Zalmi and into the playoffs.

In a bid to seal the playoff, the Sultans had a mammoth total to chase ahead of them as the former champions needed to pull off the highest-ever run chase, which they eventually did so with five balls to spare at the back of a scintillating century knock by Rossouw.

In pursuit of 243, the Sultans were off to an unwanted start; losing both their openers Mohammad Rizwan (7) and Shan Masood (5) inside three overs with just 28 runs on the scoreboard.

Following the slump, T20 specialist Kieron Pollard and Rossouw counter-attacked the Zalmi bowlers and stitched a match-defining 99-run partnership for the third wicket with both scoring quick half-centuries.

Pollard reached his fifty in just 22 deliveries after hitting three consecutive sixes to Mujeeb ur Rehman while Rossouw was even quicker as he conceded just 17 balls in the process and registered his name in the list of joint-fastest half-centuries in the league’s history.

The Zalmi then finally found a breakthrough in the 10th over when Wahab Riaz put an end to Pollard’s astonishing knock with a shorter delivery. He scored 52 in 25 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and five sixes.

The Sultans then endured another setback in quick succession as their in-form batter Tim David perished after managing to score just two and his side, consequently slipped to 148/4 in the 12th over.

Rossouw, on the other hand, continued his baton charge on the Zalmi bowlers and kept Sultans in the hunt with belligerent hitting, receiving significant support from Khushdil Shah, who scored 18 off 14.

Anwar Ali joined Rossouw after Khushdil’s dismissal and made sure the Sultans did not lose momentum in the run chase as the pair added vital 21 runs in 13 balls before Rossouw finally perished in the 19th over.

The left-handed batter top-scored for the Sultans with an astounding 51-ball 121, laced with 12 boundaries and eight sixes.

Meanwhile, Anwar, who had a forgetful outing with the ball in the first innings, held his ground firm and put on a match-winning partnership with Usama Mir, who played a crucial cameo of 11 runs in just three balls with the help of one boundary and a six.

The pair held their composure in the tense last two overs and steered their side to victory with five balls to spare.

Anwar stayed unbeaten on 24 off just eight deliveries, hitting two boundaries and a six.

Azmatullah Omarzai bagged two wickets for Zalmi but went for plenty, while Saim Ayub, Wahab, Arshad Iqbal and Mujeeb struck out a batter each.

Opting to bat first, the Zalmi batters made the most of the batting paradise of the Pindi Cricket Stadium as the former champions piled up a massive total of 242/6 in 20 overs.

Earlier, Zalmi openers Babar Azam and Saim carried on their magnificent form as the pair once again scripted a solid start for the side with both scoring brisk half-centuries.

Babar got to the milestone first in just 24 deliveries, recording his fastest fifty in the league’s history before Saim followed.

The pair once again looked comfortable trumping the record partnership of the league before Usama Mir got rid of Saim in the 12th over and handed a much-needed breakthrough to the Sultans.

The left-handed batter scored a brisk 33-ball 58, laced up five boundaries and four sixes.

Babar’s stay at the crease also remained brief after Saim’s dismissal as a short-pitch delivery by Abbas Afridi saw the end of his brilliant knock.

The Zalmi’s skipper scored 73 in just 39 balls, smashing nine boundaries and two sixes.

Zalmi then lost wickets at regular intervals but vital blitz by Mohammad Haris in the middle and Tom Kohler-Cadmore at the death powered the former champions to a massive total.

Haris struck a quickfire 35 in a mere 11 deliveries, hitting a boundary and four sixes, including three consecutive sixes to Sheldon Cottrell in the 14th over.

Kohler-Cadmore, on the other hand, was equally ruthless with his 18-ball 38 which featured four boundaries and two sixes.

Abbas led the bowling attack for the Sultans with 4/39 while Usama could pick up a wicket amid their forgetful day with the ball.

MULTAN: Mohammad Rizwan and Rilee Rossouw struck magnificent half-centuries amid Multan Sultans’ 210/3 before Usama Mir-led bowling attack bundled Peshawar Zalmi on 154 to claim a dominating 56-run victory in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

Set to chase a mammoth 211, Zalmi bundled out for 154 in the 19th over despite a quickfire half-century by young batter Saim Ayub.

The visitors got off to a flying start with young opener Mohammad Haris charging on Sultans’ bowlers but Ihsanullah dented Zalmi’s march on the first delivery of his spell as he trapped Babar Azam in his legs, who could manage just nine with the bat.

Haris then kept on charging on the bowlers despite an early blow and received equal support from Saim as the pair added brisk 47 runs for 26 deliveries before a mix-up between the wickets brought an end to Haris’ impressive knock.

The wicketkeeper batter scored 40 off just 23 deliveries with the help of a boundary and four sixes.

Zalmi then lost another wicket in quick succession as Usama removed in-form Tom Kohler-Cadmore on just three and forced Zalmi to slip to 95/1 in the 11th over.

Rovman Powell then partnered briefly with Saim as the duo took Zalmi to 130 before Asif Afridi broke the budding partnership by removing the former on 23.

Powell’s dismissal triggered a frustrating collapse with Saim also perishing briefly after amassing his half-century before eventually bundling out on 154 in the 19th over.

Saim remained the top-scorer for the Zalmi with a quickfire 53 off 37 deliveries including three boundaries and as many sixes.

Usama and Ihsanullah led the bowling attack for the Sultans with three wickets each while Abbas had two.

Put into bat first, the home side Sultans took on the hapless Zalmi bowling attack and amassed a mammoth 210/3 in their set of 20 overs at the back of brilliant half-centuries by Rizwan and Rossouw.

The home side had a decent start to their innings as their opening pair of Shan Masood and Rizwan provided a solid foundation for a big total with a gritty 54-run partnership.

Masood, who was struggling to score freely finally perished in the eighth over while attempting to play a lap sweep off Salman Irshad but ended up nicking the ball straight to wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris. He could score 20 off 25 deliveries.

Following Masood’s dismissal, Rizwan partnered strongly with Rossouw and added another vital partnership for his side and scored his second half-century of the ongoing season before falling to Sufiyan Muqeem in the 14th over.

The right-handed batter scored 66 off 42 deliveries, laced with nine boundaries and a six.

Following Rizwan’s dismissal, Rossouw launched an onslaught on Zalmi’s bowlers as he scored a quickfire 75 off just 36 deliveries including 12 boundaries and two sixes.

Following his dismissal in the 19th over, his countrymate David Miller (23) and Kieron Pollard (15) carried the momentum in the final over and sealed 19 runs off it to power Sultans to a mammoth total.

Irshad led the bowling attack for Zalmi with two wickets while Muqeem could pick one.

MULTAN: Peshawar Zalmi have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Multan Sultans in the fifth match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.

PLAYING XIs

Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Shan Masood, Rilee Rossouw, David Miller, Kieron Pollard, Khushdil Shah, Carlos Brathwaite, Usama Mir, Sameen Gul, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah.

Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, James Neesham, Rovman Powell, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Shahzad, Sufiyan Muqeem, Salman Irshad.

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches-11, Multan Sultans-8, Peshawar Zalmi-3