Peshawar Zalmi 148 for 6 in 20 overs
Quetta Gladiators 90 all out in 15 overs
LAHORE March 5: Daren Sammy led Peshawar Zalmi were crowned the new champions of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) as the 2017 edition trophy was annexed by the crowd favourites in a historic tie played in front of a heaving, packed to capacity Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The HBL PSL made its first entry on home soil and the crowd enjoyed an enthralling final which was dominated in patches by Quetta Gladiators before their capitulation against the powerful Zalmi bowling attack that stoutly defended their 148 run first innings score.
After winning the toss, Gladiators captain Sarfraz Ahmed asked Zalmi to bat first. Openers Dawid Malan (17) and Kamran Akmal (40) gave their team a flying start of 42 runs in a mere 4.4 overs.
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Malan was dismissed by Rayad Emrit who was drafted in the Gladiators line-up for the final. Kamran who looked in imperious touch following his century in the semi-final was dismissed by Hasan Khan. Kamran’s demise triggered a mid-innings slump as Zalmi batsmen found the slow bowlers difficult to get away.
Zalmi slipped to 112 for six in the 17th over and Gladiators looked in command of the final, Sammy than turned things in his team’s favour with a brutal 11 ball 28 run cameo that included three sixes.
His innings took Zalmi to a competitive 148 run score; Emrit took three wickets while Hassan dismissed two batsmen.
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Gladiators’ chase started off disastrously as makeshift opener Morne Van Wyk was run out for 1; Anamul Haque and Ahmed Shehzad were both sent back inside the first five overs leaving their team stuttering at 13 for three.
Sarfraz tried to launch a counterattack with a quick fire 22 off only 11 balls before he was stumped by Kamran off Mohammad Hafeez.
The Gladiators innings subsided after Sarfraz’s dismissal, Shaun Ervine (24) and Anwar Ali (20) resisted for a while but the result seemed inevitable and the game ended in the 17th over.
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Mohammad Asghar took three wickets while Hassan Ali and Wahab Riaz grabbed a couple. Sammy was named man-of-the-match.
Kamran was declared the man-of-the-tournament, best batsman and best wicket-keeper while the best bowler’s award went to Sohail Khan who took 16 wickets in the tournament. Ahsan Raza was declared the best umpire of HBL PSL 2017.
