PZ VS QG: Quetta Gladiators cruised to a dominant 80-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
[ Image Source: X/@TeamQuetta ]
Peshawar’s run chase began shaky, with three wickets falling during the Powerplay. Saim Ayub was the lone bright spot, notching up a half-century (50). Hussain Talat (35) and Mitchell Owen (31) were the only other batters to show some resistance.
Zalmi might have to reassess Owen’s role in the top order, especially when it comes to Powerplay overs, which can prove to be pivotal. With this loss in their season opener, Babar Azam and his team now face an uphill battle to bounce back.
Quetta’s bowlers maintained tight control and stuck to their game plan effectively. Abrar Ahmed led the charge with an impressive four-wicket haul. Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq each contributed with two wickets, while Kyle Jamieson added one to his name, capping off a commanding bowling performance from the Gladiators.
PZ VS QG: 1st Inning
Earlier in the match, Quetta’s batting line-up delivered a stellar performance, racking up a massive total. Finn Allen set the tone with an explosive half-century, while Saud Shakeel (59) and Hasan Nawaz (41) added valuable runs with their consistent contributions.
Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis added to the momentum with a blistering 58-run stand off just 23 balls. Rossouw added 21* off 10 while Mendis scored 35* off 14 which led Quetta’s final score to the 215-run mark.
On the bowling front for Peshawar Zalmi, Ali Raza, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Alzarri Joseph managed to claim one wicket each.
Babar Azam said:
Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam admitted that his team struggled to stick to their game plan, especially during the opening six overs of each innings, where they lost key momentum. Despite the pitch playing differently in the second innings, Babar made it clear that this wasn’t the leading cause of their downfall. He instead highlighted the absence of solid partnerships and the frequent loss of wickets as the primary reasons behind their defeat.
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