The Quetta Gladiators put their two previous losses in the final of the Pakistan Super League behind them by beating the Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets at Karachi on Sunday.
The Gladiators’ bowlers kept the Zalmi batsmen on the back foot through their 20 overs, restricting them to a moderate 138-8 off their 20 overs.
Umar Amin top-scored with 38 off 33 balls (3×4, 2×6, S/R 115.15), backed up by Kamran Akmal (21 off 15, 3×4, 1×6, S/R 140.00) and Sohaib Maqsood (20 off 20 balls, 3×4).
Tight bowling from Fawad Ahmed 1-22 (econ 5.50), Sohail Tanvir 0-23 (econ 5.75) and Dwayne Bravo (2-24, econ 6.00) helped keep their opponents in check, while Mohammad Hasnain raked in three wickets for 30 runs (econ 7.50).
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Chasing 139 for a first PSL title, T20 master-blaster Shane Watson was run out for seven before Ahmed Shehzad and Ahsan Ali took the score safely to 66-1, before Ali was caught at short midwicket for 25 off 18 balls (3×4, 1×6, S/R 138.88).
Rilee Rossouw and Shehzad kept the runs flowing to drive their side through to a maiden PSL victory by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare. Shehzad ended not out 0n 58 off 51 balls (6×4, 1×6, S/R 113.72), with Rossouw undefeated on 39 off 32 balls (5×4, S/R 121.87).
Wahab Riaz toiled manfully in an effort to keep his side in the game, his four overs costing just 19 runs (econ 4.75), as well as picking up the only wicket to fall to a bowler.
Photo: Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
