Peshwar Zalmi 203 for 7 (Kamran 86, Imam 59, Amir 3-24) beat Karachi Kings 142 (Ingram 71, Imad 30, Hasan Ali 3-15) by 61 runs
There was never likely to be much on the line in this game. A victory for Karachi Kings might have put them level with Peshawar Zalmi on 12 points, but so poor had Kings’ run rate been, and so healthy was Zalmi’s that Kings would have had to chase down Zalmi’s target in 9.1 overs to finish in the top two.
Very quicky, it became apparent that Zalmi was not going to roll over so easily. Usman Shinwari had been Kings’ hero as he bowled an outstanding final over on Sunday night, but on Monday, it was in his first over that the opposition’s charge began. Kamran Akmal struck three fours off that first Shinwari over – the most attractive of his shots an on-the-up drive to pierce the covers. He and Imam-ul-Haq, who hit three fours himself in the fourth over of the innings, were outstanding in the Powerplay. Together they put on 61 by the end of six overs – Akmal hitting two sixes off spin to make 37 of those runs.
Where Imam slowed down a touch when the field restrictions ended, Akmal’s assault maintained its intensity. He was sweeping Umer Khan for six, pummeling Imad Wasim down the ground, and blasting the quicks aroung the ground as well, though not with quite the same frequency. In the 12th over, bowled by Umer, he hit a four, six and a four in succession. With Imam (who had earlier been dropped on 32 off the bowling of Hasan Ali) also having struck a six before turning the strike over to Akmal, Zalmi plundered 23 off that over. Umer’s economy rate lay in tatters – him having given away 45 off three off three overs.
The partnership – worth 137 in 13.2 overs – was easily Zalmi’s best ever opening stand. Akmal was first to go, in what was perhaps the most eventful over of the innings, bowled by Colin Munro. After he had had Akmal caught at extra cover for 86 off 48 balls (Akmal’s innings featured 10 fours and five sixes), Munro was immediately monstered for two sixes down the ground by Kieron Pollard. Then, fifth ball of the over, Pollard tried to hit his third consecutive six and holed out to long off, leaving Munro to perform celebrations that might have been interpreted as a sendoff in international cricket, though the PSL match officials might be a little more lenient. In any case, the over had two sixes and two wickets in the space of four balls.
More to follow…