Peshawar Zalmi edge high-scoring clash with Islamabad United

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (46 off 19) and Azam Khan (85 off 45) brought the fireworks during Islamabad United's chase of 206 but Peshawar Zalmi hung on for a 10-run win

Lahore: Peshawar Zalmi 206-8, Islamabad United 195-7 – Peshawar Zalmi won by 10 runs

Peshawar Zalmi climbed up to third in the Pakistan Super League after edging a high-scoring clash with Islamabad United by 10 runs.

Mohammad Haris blasted his maiden PSL half-century as Peshawar Zalmi posted 206 for 8 from their 20 overs. And despite some second innings fireworks from Rahmanullah Gurbaz (46 off 19) and Azam Khan (85 off 45), Zalmi clung on for a valuable two points.

Batting first, Haris dominated the opening half of the innings, blasting 70 of Peshawar Zalmi’s 113 runs off just 32 deliveries before being removed by Waqas Maqsood (caught Muhammad Musa) halfway through the 10th over to join Hazratullah Zazai (13) back in the shed.

Shoaib Malik (38 off 23) then took control, enjoying productive stands with Yasir Khan (35 off 24) and Sherfane Rutherford (16 off 9) before the latter fell to Faheem Ashraf (caught Zahir Khan) in the 16th over.

^{Azam Khan [Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images]}

The West Indian’s wicket shifted the game in Islamabad’s favour, with five wickets falling for 33 runs in the next four overs. Liam Livingstone (9) and Malik were both removed by Ashraf, who finished with figures of 3 for 33, while Ben Cutting and Riaz were picked up by Maqsood and Marchant de Lange, respectively.

However, despite the late flurry, Peshawar Zalmi still made it beyond the 200-mark.

In reply, Gurbaz came out firing from the off, dispatching Livingstone and Usman Qadir for five sixes in the opening two overs before departing for a rapid 19-ball 46 in the fourth over.

Danish Aziz followed four balls later, edging behind to Haris to become Riaz’s 100th PSL wicket, and it wasn’t long before Mubasir Khan joined him. 

His dismissal, however, sparked Azam Khan into life, with the Islamabad wicketkeeper blasting 37 runs off 15 balls as part of a 42-run stand with Dawson before continuing to score freely as his colleagues tumbled around him.

Scoring 85 runs off 45 balls, he dragged his side to within 25 runs of victory heading into the final two overs but was removed by Riaz two deliveries later, trudging off the pitch accompanied by Islamabad’s fading hopes of victory.

Riaz finished with figures of 2 for 26 while Salman Irshad also impressed with the ball, picking up 3 for 29.

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