By Alam Zeb Safi
LAHORE: Australian pacer Aaron Hardie and Bangladesh’s fast bowler Nahid Rana bowled extremely well to enable Peshawar Zalmi to fold Hyderabad Kingsmen for a paltry total of 129 in the final of the HBL PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
In front of the jam-packed venue Hardie took 4-27 in his quota of four overs while Nahid Rana, who had specifically returned to join the side for the finale, claimed 2-22, to destroy Kingsmen despite having a rapid start.
After being put into bat Kingsmen were 69-2 in the powerplay. However, a major collapse blew their chances of posting a fighting total on the board. Saim Ayub fought a lone battle but he also departed off the first ball of the 18th over which left Kingsmen massively damaged.
This is also the lowest total scored by a team while batting first in the PSL finals history.
Zalmi started with spinner Iftikhar Ahmed who conceded 11 runs in the first over.
After a brisk start Mohammad Basit provided an early breakthrough to Zalmi when he had Maaz Sadaqat (11), held at square-leg by Abdul Samad. The left-hander, who just flicked it, wanted to use the pace of the ball but could not succeed, hit one six and a four from six balls.
Saim Ayub joined skipper Marnus Labuschagne and the duo tried to score runs rapidly and added 35 for the second wicket stand.
It was Aaron Hardie who had Labuschagne who edged it to Mohammad Haris behind the stumps. Labuschagne scored 12-ball 20 with three fours and a six.
Usman Khan (8), who had a fine few matches, also failed to click at a major stage when he was trapped lbw off spinner Sufiyan Muqeem to leave Kingsmen at 71-3 in the seventh over. And from here collapse began that broke the back of Kingsmen.
Irfan Khan (1) got run out and off the first ball of the next over Nahid Rana got rid of Glenn Maxwell (0) before Kusal Perera (1) got run out in the same over to leave Kingsmen reeling at 73-6 in the eighth over.
US-based Hassan Khan came out to join Saim Ayub and it was expected that he would back his senior partner to go deep but it did not happen. Hassan was removed by Aaron Hardie, held by Kusal Mendis brilliantly in the deep after he hit a seven-ball 12 which featured one six and one four.
And Kingsmen were 90-7 in the tenth over. Nahid Rana added to Kingsmen’s misery when he clean bowled Hunain Shah (9) after the right-hander hit one six in his 12-ball brief stay at the crease.
Saim Ayub was expected to bat till the end but Aaron Hardie got rid of him for a 50-ball 54. Saim, who completed his first fifty of the season off 42 balls, smashed two sixes and five fours.
Hardie then removed Akif Javed (5) to fold Kingsmen for 129 in 18 overs.
Mohammad Basit (1-22) and Sufiyan Muqeem (1-23) also backed their frontline pacers Nahid and Hardie.
