Alex Hales makes triumphant return to help Islamabad United eliminate Peshawar Zalmi

The opener, who left the tournament due to bubble fatigue, scored 62 runs off 49 balls on his return to the XI to help Islamabad United chase down 169 and move to within one win of the PSL7 final

Lahore: Peshawar Zalmi 169-5, Islamabad United 170-5 - Islamabad United won by five wickets

Alex Hales made a triumphant return to the Islamabad United XI, scoring 62 from 49 to help his side chase down 169 and eliminate Peshawar Zalmi from the PSL play-offs in Lahore.

Hales had left the tournament just over a week ago due to bubble fatigue, but made a sensational return to his depleted side, who had scraped into the play-offs in the absence of openers Hales and Paul Stirling (international duty), and talismanic captain Shadab Khan (injury), who also made a timely return to action.

Kamran Akmal (58 from 39) and Shoaib Malik (55 from 43) had earlier scored half-centuries to help Peshawar Zalmi to a competitive total.

Islamabad will now face Lahore Qalandars, who lost to Multan Sultans in the qualifier, in the second eliminator to determine who will reach the PSL7 final.

Peshawar batted first, and set an electric pace with 15 in the first over. However, they soon encountered resistance and found themselves stagnating on 67 for 2 at the halfway mark, with Akmal and Malik at the crease.

^{Hasan Ali celebrates the wicket of Yasir Khan [Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images]}

Shadab Khan took the important wicket of Akmal in the 14th over, before Malik accelerated the scoring, adding 56 runs (26 balls) with Hussain Talat. He was eventually caught off Hasan Ali (3 for 30) in the final over.

Chasing 170, Islamabad started their innings with just two runs in the first over, but finished the powerplay well and were ahead at the halfway stage with 77 runs for the loss of just Will Jacks.

Captain Shadab Khan and Hales built a useful partnership of 43 runs which lasted until the 11th over, before Khan fell for 22 off 17.

That wicket, however, was the catalyst for Hales to kick on and he scored 23 runs off his next 13 balls, including a sublime scoop for six, as part of a 41-run partnership with Azam Khan.

Salman Irshad bowled Hales with a brilliant yorker in the 14th over, which meant the final overs were perhaps closer than they would have been, but Azam Khan’s 28 helped to steady the innings.

With 10 required in the final over, Islamabad lost Azam Khan off the first ball, but a six and a four from Liam Dawson carried Islamabad over the line with three balls to spare.

The return of Hales and Shadab Khan undoubtedly made the difference for Islamabad who lost four of their final five games in the regular season. But it was heartbreak for Peshawar Zalmi, whose wait for a second PSL title goes on.

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