Karachi (Sports News): Babar Azam registered his third HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) century as unbeaten Peshawar Zalmi thumped Quetta Gladiators by a record 118-run margin in the second match of Sunday’s double-header here at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
Monday, 20 April will be a rest day in HBL PSL before the action returns on Tuesday with another double-header split between Lahore and Karachi.
Peshawar Zalmi’s 255-3 in 20 overs became the third-highest total in the HBL PSL and only the fifth score ever in excess of the 250-run mark. In turn, Zalmi’s rookie pace duo of Ali Raza (3-9) and Mohammad Basit (3-26), who combined to dismantle three of the top four batters and blew away Gladiators for a mere 137 in 18.1 overs.
The 118-run winning margin registered by Zalmi is the fourth-highest in terms of runs after they also registered the 159-run margin against Karachi Kings on 9 April at the same venue. Zalmi now have 15 points to their name off eight games.
Peshawar Zalmi took 76 runs off the last five overs of their innings, while Babar dramatically brought up his 12th T20 century and first in 67 innings on the last ball of the innings – 52nd ball of his outing - with a double.
Babar, who finished on 100 off 52, hit six fours and four sixes and also put on a brisk unbeaten 66-run stand off 22 balls with Aaron Hardie (26 not out, 10b, 3x6s). Babar’s all four sixes came in the last four overs as he went after Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq and Alzarri Joseph. It was also the first time in T20 cricket that a batter faced only a solitary dot ball after facing 50 or more balls.
Earlier, Babar and Kusal Mendis again joined forces to put on a second century partnership in the tournament worth 135 runs off 75 balls after Mohammad Haris (16, 6b, 1x4, 2x6s) departed in the second over. Mendis, the leading run-scorer in the HBL PSL 11 with 413 runs, fell for 83 off 44 balls hitting 10 fours and three sixes. This was Mendis’ third half-century besides his 109 against Kings on 9 April.
The duo brought up the second-highest powerplay score in HBL PSL 11 – 80-1. By the halfway mark Zalmi had notched 115 runs and then Usman broke the stand in the 15th over with scorecard reading 165-2.
From this over, young Farhan Yousuf (19, 8b, 2x4s, 1x6) laid the marker for the big total by hitting Usman for a six and a four on consecutive balls. He fell to Abrar in the 17th over as Babar and Hardie went ballistic.
For Gladiators, Jahandad, Joseph and Usman Tariq were hit for 50 more runs.
In the chase, Quetta Gladiators’ left-arm pacer Mohammad Basit brought the goods in the fourth over removing Saud Shakeel for 12 and Rilee Rossouw for a golden duck. Ali Raza, who was constantly clocking in excess of 140 kph, during his 3.1 overs, then removed Hasan Nawaz in last over of powerplay, at the end of which the Gladiators were 42-3.
No.6 Bevon Jacobs (34, 27b, 1x4, 3x6s) and no.5 Dinesh Chandimal (19, 8b, 1x4, 2x6s) threatened for moments before perishing as Gladiators slumped from 44-3 to 82-7 and then 137 all out. Jospeh struck two sixes in his 15-ball 19 not out. Ali Raza’s figures read 3.1-0-9-3, while Basit’s three came in four. Sufyan Moqim and Michael Bracewell picked up one wicket each.
Scores in brief:
Peshawar Zalmi 255-3, 20 overs (Babar Azam 100 not out, Kusal Mendis 83, Aaron Hardie 26 not out)
Quetta Gladiators 137 all out, 18.1 overs (Bevon Jacobs 34, Shamyl Hussain 21; Ali Raza 3-9, Mohammad Basit 3-26, Aaron Hardie 2-11)
Player of the Match: Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi)
