At the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Monday night, Islamabad United defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 29 runs due to an outstanding all-around performance by captain Shadab Khan. Player of the match Shadab amassed 80 runs at bat and took three crucial wickets with the ball.
Pitch report and toss update
There is a quick outfield and a flat track at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Fast bowlers find this to be a challenging spot since the wicket does not help them. On this surface, batsmen can play on the up and score runs with ease.
As the ball holds the surface and turns sharply, spinners receive good rewards from the surface. Peshawar Zalmi chose to field after winning the toss.
Shadab Khan and Salman Agha held the innings of the Islamabad United after openers departs early
As Saim began bowling for Zalmi, he surprised Alex Hales by smashing the United opener’s stumps with a stinging carrom ball pitched at a teasing length on the first ball. After joining Colin Munro in the middle, Salman Ali Agha made an impressive start by hitting Luke Wood for a six and four in the second over.
In the subsequent over, Saim came back into the attack to trick Munro into playing the third big shot of the over, only to be caught by Babar, putting United down 28-2.
Batting at number four, Shadab made it clear right away that he wanted to contribute to his team’s 46-2 final score during the powerplay. For the third wicket, Salman and Shadab combined to score an adequate 65 off 44 balls. Islamabad United were 90/2 at the halfway mark.
Salman Irshad struck to dismiss Agha Salman in the eleventh over after the latter attempted a scoop shot and edged the ball to the keeper.
Shadab Khan and Azam Khan’s big hits helped the Islamabad United to put up a competitive score
In the 13th over, Shadab reached his 6th PSL half-century from 34 balls. Shadab continued to use the willow aggressively, and the next two overs, bowled by Mohammad Zeeshan and Aamir, respectively, were hammered for fifteen runs apiece.
After Jordan Cox and Shadab (80) had a fourth-wicket partnership of 68 runs in 39 balls, Wood struck to remove the Islamabad United captain from the game courtesy of a diving catch by Saim.
Islamabad United scored 35 runs in the final three overs, thanks to Azam Khan’s (29*) aggressive stay at the wicket, and finished with a total of 196-4 in the 20 overs. Of the Zalmi bowlers, Saim was the best; he returned with two wickets, while Salman and Wood each took one.
Islamabad United’s bowlers dazzle half of Zalmi’s side inside the powerplay
Zalmi’s quest for the difficult 197-run total got off to a dramatic start as they lost their opening batters in the opening over. Trying to steal a single, Babar Azam pushed the ball towards mid-on, where Alex Hales quickly smashed the stumps, only to be run out for a golden duck.
A ball later, Naseem Shah cheaply removed Saim Ayub by inducing an edge from his bat. After an over, Naseem came back to bowl his first-ever maiden in his PSL career. Imad Wasim caught Mohammad Haris, who was batting at number three, trying to flick one off Rumman Raees at short fine leg.
Hunain Shah ended the powerplay with Zalmi reeling at 18-5 after he removed Tom Kohler-Cadmore for 12 off 14 balls and Rovman Powell returned for a three-ball duck.
Shah had grabbed two wickets in an over. Aamer Jamal and Paul Walter then steadied the ship of the Zalmi to help them put 59/5 at the end of the 10th over.
Aamir Jamal and Paul Walter put up a record partnership but fall short
Collectively, Aamir Jamal and Paul Walter scored 107 off 62 balls, setting a record for the best sixth-wicket partnership in PSL history. The more aggressive player in this duo, Aamir, hit five boundaries and three sixes to reach his first T20 fifty in just 27 balls.
With five overs remaining, Zalmi needed to score 77 runs. Shadab came back to the attack and ended the dangerous partnership by getting rid of Walter. To try to keep his team in the game, Aamer hit Naseem for three boundaries in the next over.
In the 18th over, Shadab made a comeback to finish Aamer’s magnificent fighting knock of 87 off 49 balls, which included eight fours and six massive maximums, and to secure the victory for Islamabad United. Shadab became just the sixth player from Pakistan to surpass the 300 T20 wicket mark.
Zalmi’s innings were finished by the Islamabad United’s bowlers for 167-9, which resulted in a 29-run victory. Shadab took the most wickets with three, followed by two each by Hunain and Rumman. One wicket was taken by Naseem.
