Zalmi notch record-breaking win in PSL

By our correspondent
RAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi notched their maiden win by demolishing Multan Sultans by 120 runs in Rawalpindi on Saturday night.
This was also the largest win by runs in the PSL history as it surpassed Lahore Qalandars’s 119-run victory against Islamabad United on March 9, 2023, also at the same venue.
In the crucial game of the PSL X Tom Kohler-Cadmore (52) and Mohammad Haris (45) set a solid base and some lusty hitting in the end from Abdul Samad (40) and Mitchell Owen (34) catapulted Zalmi to a big total of 227-7 in the allotted 20 overs.
And the 17-year old Ali Raza then captured 4-21 in his quota of four overs while leggie Arif Yaqoob claimed 3-20 in four overs to skittle out
Sultans for only 107.
Set to chase a tough target Multan Sultans were never in the run right from the start.
Luke Wood got the prized scalp of Mohammad Rizwan (15) early after he skied it with Saim Ayub taking an easy catch. Rizwan hit one six and a four from nine balls. Shai Hope and Usman Khan then tried to stabilise the innings. However it did not happen. It was leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob who got rid of Shai Hope who belted run-a-ball 20 with three fours and Sultans were 63-2 in the seventh over.
Young pacer Ali Raza then piled-up further miseries on Sultans by removing Kamran Ghulam (6). And in his next over Ali then sent back Michael Bracewell (3) and Ashton Turner (0) off his two successive deliveries to leave Sultans gasping at 84-5.
In the next over Arif Yaqoob had Usman Khan to end Sultans fightback chances.
Usman was the only batsman who batted extremely well, hitting three sixes and four fours from just 22 balls.
Ali Raza then got rid of Iftikhar Ahmed (2) and Usama Mir (1) to put Zalmi just two wickets away of victory.
Mitchell Owen then got rid of David Willey (13) and Akif Javed (0) in his first over to fold Sultans well away of the target in 15.5 overs. But full
marks go to the rookie pacer Ali Raza who bowled exceptionally well by pulling off figures of his life while he was ably backed by leggie Arif Yaqoob who was seen assisting from the wicket.
Earlier after losing a couple of early wickets Zalmi were seen in deep trouble as they had scored just 12-2 in three overs.
However both Tom and Haris managed lusty hitting to spur Zalmi’s fine recovery within no time. The duo shared 79 runs from just 33 balls for the third wicket association to put their team in a very good position.
Zalmi were 69-2 in the powerplay which means they scored 57 runs from the latest three overs of the powerplay.
In the fourth over Tom hit spinner Michael Bracewell for two sixes while Haris also smacked him for a six in this over which yielded 21 runs.
And in the sixth over they plundered 25 runs with Haris smacking left-arm pacer Akif Javed for four successive fours.
Mohammad Rizwan, who was not keeping wickets, introduced young pacer Ubaid Shah in the eighth over and he broke the dangerous stand by getting rid of Haris, held by Iftikhar Ahmed in the deep. Haris, who had struck a fine fifty in the previous game, smashed three sixes and four fours in his 21-ball 45. When Haris fell Zalmi were 84-3 in the eighth over.
Tom then shared 38-ball 53 for the fourth wicket association with Hussain Talat. It was Bracewell who got the crucial wicket of Tom, held by David Willey in the deep to leave Zalmi at 137-4 in the 14th over.
Tom, who was dropped by Usman Khan at square-leg off Akif Javed on 37, batted with an immense perfection. He hammered five sixes and two fours in his 30-ball 52. He was extremely dangerous against the spinners as he smacked Usama Mir for three sixes and hammered Bracewell for two sixes.
Soon afterwards Iftikhar also removed Hussain Talat who struck a 29-ball 37 which included three fours and a mighty six at extra-cover off Bracewell in the 14th over.
Zalmi’s aggression continued and now it was the turn of Abdul Samad and Mitchell Owen who destroyed Sultans’ bowling with merciless hitting. They stitched 73 off just 25 balls in the sixth wicket stand to take Zalmi to a huge total.
David Willey removed Mitchell after he smashed a 15-ball 34, clobbering four huge sixes and one four.
Samad, who recently was part of Pakistan team on the New Zealand tour, smashed three sixes and four fours in his 14-ball 40 before being sent back by Ubaid Shah in the last over.
Samad hit Akif Javed for two sixes and two fours in the 18th over which produced 24 runs.
Zalmi were 106-3 in ten overs. Zalmi scored 83 runs in the last five overs.
Earlier after choosing to bat first Zalmi had a disastrous start. Spinner Michael Bracewell bowled Saim Ayub (2) in the second over and in the next over David Willey got rid of Babar Azam (2), trapped lbw. Babar has so far scored just three runs in the PSL three matches.
Michael Bracewell (2-37 in 4 overs), David Willey (2-36 in 4) and Ubaid Shah (2-40 in 4) were the successful bowlers.
Akif Javed gave away 52 runs in three overs and was the most expensive bowler.