This was the fourth highest success trip in PSL history
Peshawar Zalmi 197 for 4 (Kohler-Cadmore 53, Imam-ul-Haq 48) beat Multan Sultans 193 for 4 (Vince 84, Rizwan 41) with six wikis
Peshawar Zalmi picked up their first points of the season with a batting display that was almost perfect in a run against Multan Sultans. Defended by Tom Kohler-Cadmore 53, and useful hits from Kamran Akmal (37) and Imam-ul-Haq (48), Zalmi outdid Sultans’ 193 with six wickets and six balls remaining. A slow pub exploded into life at the end, thanks to a Haider Ali blitz, 24 off just eight, and a Sultans thin bowling on the bare night for all.
The Sultans themselves, who had started with Chris Lynn’s early wicket, but had been corrected by a languid effort from James Vince, had good game games. Arriving at No. 3, Vince showed off his elegant gifts in partnerships with captain Mohammad Rizwan (41), and Sohaib Maqsood (36). But they seemed to have their total number – after losing just four wikis – by the end of the evening.
Star of the day
The stars were scattered all over Zalmi. With the ball, Mohammad Imran kicked a four-over spell on an expensive night: 4-0-24-1, by Rizwan’s wicket. Mohammad Irfan got Lynn with his first ball and then held a sharp grip to end Vince’s innings.
Their bat was a total effort that looked almost too good to be true: the engines at the right speed, and the partnerships at the right speed, set for the t -perfect little raise at the end to win with six balls to release.
The architects were their top three – Akmal, Imam, and Kohler-Cadmore, who set up half-century bases back in a high chase. With that foundation, they made perfect use of Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik, and Haider to accelerate at the end. Even with the loss of some quick wickets at the end, they seemed to have complete control – especially Haider, who said he had been waiting and waiting since the innings began, with a No. 3 career. which may be. He eventually set up an unbeaten 24-ball to ensure the Sultans had no other openings.
Miss (es) the day
The Sultans had a good power play, but one that could have kept them from getting a bigger score on a batting surface belt. Their 46 for 1 included some rebounds after the early wicket, but Rizwan and Vince took some time to get up to the pitch. They then put up the highest number of the competition, but their bowling machines showed that they did not get as much as what was available.
Sultans also missed a trick with their bow combination. Carlos Brathwaite’s use as a fifth archer looked skeptical of all their experienced archers hitting their belts. On this night, that didn’t happen and his 42 from four petals, including the final round over where Haider changed the momentum of the chase, had been costly.
There was also an obvious loss – a run-out opportunity with Kohler-Cadmore going halfway down the pitch in the 10th over.
Honorable mention
Usman Qadir cannot step into his bowling career without being compared to his father, and in a short T20 career, he has shown that he deserves those comparisons. While having been a starter in other forms for him, Qadir showed why he likes this format – he likes to keep bats glued to the shower with very little of an idea of what the ball is doing. And he did that Tuesday night too, defeating the Sultans with googly preceded by diving-length balls that could be on either side of the right and left bats at the crease – Akmal and Imam. He ended up getting Akmal with googly skiddy, and while Shahid Afridi struggled to get into his spell with comfort at the other end, Qadir kept an eye on the scoring level.
Varun Shetty is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo