PSL 2017, Match 19, Review: Quetta Gladiators toppled by Afridi blitz

The playoffs are just a few days away for the 2017 edition of the PSL. The four teams for the playoffs are pretty much known and now it all comes down to the top two slots that are up for grabs. Obviously the teams that finish among the top two have an added advantage of having a double shot at the finals. Quetta Gladiators locked horns with the Peshawar Zalmi in the penultimate game of the league stages. The last time these two sides met in the tournament, it was the rain that had played the spoilsport.

A full game was due and a lot was at stake for both the sides. Coming in to the match, it was Peshawar Zalmi skipper Darren Sammy who won the toss and opted to field first in a crucial fixture. They stuck to their overseas combination of players with two West Indians and two Bangladeshis in the lineup. Mohammad Hafeez came back to the starting eleven at the expense of Iftikhar Ahmed. The Quetta Gladiators, on the other hand, got back the services of Tymal Mills in their line up. The other three overseas players were Kevin Pietersen, Rilee Rossouw and Mahmudullah.

Quetta Gladiators had a horrific start as both openers, Asad Shafiq (3) and Ahmed Shehzad (0), were sent packing by Mohammad Asghar in the second over itself. It was down to Kevin Pietersen and Rilee Rossouw to steady the ship from 4/2. The overseas players did just that. However, they found the surface to be very tough to rotate the strike. The big shots were hard to come by as well. They added 86 off 72 deliveries for the 3rd wicket. Rossouw perished after scoring 38 off 34 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Shakib Al Hasan provided the breakthrough for the Zalmis in the 14th over.

The very next over saw the other set batsman, Pietersen, become the third scalp of Asghar on the night. KP managed to score 41 off the 43 balls with 4 fours to his name. A flurry of wickets followed as Gladiators fell from 98/3 to 128/10. Barring Mohammad Nawaz post the dismissal of Pietersen, no other batsman got in the double figures as Hasan Ali and Wahab Riaz scalped 2 wickets each. Gladiators finished with 128/10 in 20 overs. Asghar was the pick of the bowlers with 3/33 to his name.

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The story of the run chase was no different. Tamim Iqbal and Kamran Akmal walked in to open the innings. Tamim (7) was dismissed following a smart glove work by Sarfraz Ahmed off the bowling of Mahmudullah. Marlon Samuels announced himself with a big six but perished soon after as Tymal Mills accounted for his dismissal. Mohammad Hafeez, who has been very short of runs this season, struggled like never before. His stay at the crease lasted for 33 deliveries but yielded just 22 runs.

He became Mills’ second wicket on the day. Kamran was soon dismissed lbw on 26 (30) by Mohammad Nawaz. Wickets kept tumbling with Shakib scoring 1, Sohaib Maqsood and Sammy getting ducks. By the end of the 16th over, the Peshawar Zalmis were stuttering at 89/7. Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz were at the crease with 40 needed off the last four overs.

Riaz could not do much as Tymal Mills came back to take his wicket. But, the old warhorse proved why he is such a deadly hitter of the cricket ball. Afridi took on the bowlers, Mahmudullah in particular, to unleash the attack that saw Peshawar Zalmi eke out a narrow 2 wickets win. Afridi’s unbeaten 45 off mere 23 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes), coupled with Hasan Ali’s short 3-ball 8*, helped Zalmi beat the table toppers Quetta Gladiators.

Watch: Shahid Afridi smashes a four to win the game for Zalmi:

Here is Shahid Afridi’s winning shot & his gorgeous wild celebration, As Peshawar Zalmi knocked out Quetta. #PZvQG #QGVsPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2017 pic.twitter.com/DwuGjSXpcp

— Zohaib Ahmed17 (@Iamzuhaib7) February 26, 2017

Brief Scores:

Quetta Gladiators 128/10 in 20 overs (Pietersen 41, Rossouw 38, Asghar 3/33, Riaz 2/17)

Peshawar Zalmi 130/8 in 19.2 overs (Afridi 45*, Kamran 26, Mills 3/20, Mahmudullah 3/31)