Afridi leads Peshawar to two-wicket victory over Quetta
Afridi proved he still has the match-winner in him. PHOTO COURTESY: PSL
Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by two wickets as Shahid Afridi took the stand for his team when it mattered the most.
Peshawar, opting to bowl first, restricted Quetta to 128. However, in their chase, at one point, they had lost six wickets for just 52 runs.
Afridi walked in and played silently while Hafeez rotated the strike. As soon as Hafeez was out, Afridi took matters into his own hands and scored unbeaten 45 off 23 balls courtesy three sixes and as many boundaries to guide his team to victory with four balls remaining.
Over 19.2: PZ 130-8 (Target 129)
FOUR! Once more through covers and Lala wins it for Peshawar. What a match and what a legend of the game!
FOUR! Cut past point and it's a boundary. Afridi you beauty!
Mahmudullah.
Over 19: PZ 122-8 (Target 129)
FOUR! Hasan swings wildly and the ball takes a top-edge and races to the third man boundary.
Tymal bowls a WIDE! This is turning into Peshawar's favour once again!
Hasan plays a dot but drives the next one through covers beautifully. FOUR!
Hasan Ali joins Afridi.
CAUGHT BEHIND! Wahab departs.
Single taken by Afridi. Wahab faces now. 16 off 10 needed.
Tymal Mills, for the penultimate over, starts with a wide. Follows with a dot.
Over 18: PZ 111-7 (Target 129)
Second last ball, Wahab faces... and misses.
Two more taken. Single follows.
SIX! Over midwicket, Lala show is on in Dubai.
FOUR! Afridi leaves the stumps, Nawaz follows, Lala sends it straight.
Nawaz in for his last over. Afridi faces!
Over 17: PZ 98-7 (Target 129)
Afridi keeps the strike for himself for the third-last over; Peshawar need 31 off 18 now.
SIX! Full-toss and into the midwicket stands. Afridi wants no non-sense.
Zulfi in for his last over.
Over 16: PZ 89-7 (Target 129)
OUT! Hafeez caught behind and Peshawar's only hope remains in Afridi now.
Two runs from the first five balls.
Tymal Mills.
Over 15: PZ 87-6 (Target 129)
SIX! Afridi goes big and goes straight. Things are going to get interesting from here on but a time out is compulsory here; 42 off 30 needed now.
Mohammad Nawaz for his third. Hafeez and Afridi are silent since the last two overs. Run rate is climbing with every ball!
Over 14: PZ 78-6 (Target 129)
Only three from the youngster's over with Afridi and Hafeez facing: impressive!
Hasan Khan now with his last over.
Over 13: PZ 75-6 (Target 129)
Bowls three dots to Hafeez. Three singles follow.
Zulfi now.
Over 12: PZ 72-6 (Target 129)
Peshawar need 57 off 48.
FOUR! Hafeez making up for his run-out blunder. He needs to see Peshawar to the finish line now.
Left-armer Hasan Khan on now.
Over 11: PZ 63-6 (Target 129)
Peshawar need 66 off 54 with only four wickets remaining.
FOUR! Over midwicket again. Hafeez pulls again.
FOUR! Pulled towards midwicket by Hafeez.
Nawaz.
Over 10: PZ 54-6 (Target 129)
Mohammad Hafeez and Shahid Afridi in the middle. Are we in for another Boom Boom performance tonight?
OUT! Sammy is gone first ball. What is happening out there? Nawaz takes the catch for Mahmudullah who is on a hat-trick now.
OUT! Sohaib Maqsood caught at covers for a two-ball duck. Can Quetta do anything wrong right now?
Mahmudullah.
Over 9: PZ 52-4 (Target 129)
OH MY GOD! It's Hafeez forcing a run out. Can't believe my eyes. Ge calls and then stops in the middle. Shakib (1 off 1) has to go back but he is already gone. Peshawar in trouble!
LBW! Kamran Akmal is instantly unhappy with the decision. However, Peshawar lose one more and Quetta are making a match out of nothing. Replay shows it hit his glove. Hard luck Kamran!
Mohammad Nawaz with his left-arm spin.
Over 8: PZ 51-2 (Target 129)
Mohammad Hafeez joins Kamran Akmal.
OUT! Marlon Samuels departs. Caught on seven off four balls. Short leg comes into play as Samuels tries to fend one away from his body. Great catch from Umar Amin (sub).
Tymal Mills.
Over 7: PZ 46-1 (Target 129)
SIX! Samuels shows Tamim how it's done. Two steps and bang it goes over long on.
Marlon Samuels join Kamran Akmal.
STUMPED! Tamim Iqbal runs out of patience. Tries to come down and misses. Sarfraz has an easy job to do.
Mahmudullah.
Over 6: PZ 37-0 (Target 129)
Only three off his over.
Tymal Mills now.
Over 5: PZ 34-0 (Target 129)
SIX! This time Kamran times it over midwicket with precision and power.
FOUR! Kamran goes down on one knee, the ball turns sharply into his body, he turns it into a pull and sends the ball towards long leg.
Mahmudullah replaces Zulfi.
Over 4: PZ 22-0 (Target 129)
Sarfaraz sticks to Hasan Khan for one more over.
Over 3: PZ 14-0 (Target 129)
Zulfiqar Babar bowls a maiden to Kamran Akmal.
Over 2: PZ 14-0 (Target 129)
Three off the over.
Left-arm spinner Hasan Khan. Spin from both sides by Sarfraz.
Over 1: PZ 11-0 (Target 129)
No boundaries but still eleven runs off the over.
Zulfiqar Babar bowls the first over for Quetta. Tamim Iqbal and Kamran Akmal open the chase for Peshawar.
Over 20: QUE 128 all out
RUN OUT! Players try to take two and end up with only with to their tally.
OUT! Soft dismissal. Wahab takes an easy one as Umar Gul top-arms it back to the bowler.
Wahab to bowl the last over.
Over 19: QUE 124-8
Zulfiqar Babar is in and he is caught on first ball. Add one more wicket to Hasan's tally.
CAUGHT AND BOWL! Nawaz (18 off 12) skies this one and Hasan Ali sets himself under it. Takes a fall while cupping it.
Hasan Ali.
Over 18: QUE 121-6
BOWLED! Mahmudullah walks in, watches his stumps shatter and walks back for a duck.
RUN OUT! Sarfraz Ahmed (8 off 7) is found short of the crease in attempt to take two runs. Kamran Akmal is timely with his collection and hit.
Wahab Riaz.
Over 17: QUE 117-4
Five runs off the over.
Hasan Ali in for his third over.
Over 16: QUE 112-4
SIX! Asghar started off brilliantly but ends his quota expensively. Nawaz goes boom over long on.
FOUR! Swept fine by Sarfraz.
Sarfraz Ahmed join Mohammad Nawaz in the middle.
OUT! Everything he is touching today is turning into gold. KP (41 off 43) tries to clear midwicket but is caught Hasan Ali. Three wickets for Asghar now.
Asghar.
Over 15: QUE 98-3
Drama, drama and a lot more of drama out there. Fielders not wanting to take the catch, wild throws here and there and a lot of unsuccessful appeals.
Shahid Afridi. Mohammad Nawaz and Kevin Pietersen face.
Over 14: QUE 92-3
OUT! Rilee (38 off 34) is caught by a running Mohammad Asghar at long on.
SIX! Rilee goes over cow corner.
Shakibal Hasan.
Over 13: QUE 81-2
Nine runs off the over courtesy a FOUR by Pietersen.
Strategic time out taken. Shahid Afridi has the ball now.
Over 12: QUE 72-2
Only five off the over.
Wahab Riaz.
Over 11: QUE 67-2
FOUR! Pulled towards long leg by Rilee.
Asghar for his third.
Over 10: QUE 58-2
FOUR! Pietersen comes forward misses the ball but edges it with his leg past the keeper for a boundary. That will be leg byes.
SIX! Rossouw welcome him with a well-timed shot over extra cover.
Over 9: QUE 46-2
FOUR! Pietersen trying to cover as much ground as possible at the moment.
Over 8: QUE 39-2
It's a maiden.
Over 7: QUE 39-2
FOURx2! Cow corner and then fine leg, Rossouw shifting gears.
Over 6: QUE 28-2
Goes for five in his over.
Wahab Riaz with his express pace comes on.
Over 5: QUE 23-2
FOUR! Pietersen goes through covers.
Shakib now.
Over 4: QUE 15-2
FOUR! Pietersen goes towards extra cover.
Asghar again.
Over 3: QUE 6-2
Only one leg bye from the over.
DROPPED! Rilee goes for the reverse sweep and Sammy was going to his left but the ball popped up on the other side.
Over 2: QUE 5-2
Rilee Rossouw joins Kevin Pietersen.
OUT! Shehzad (duck) tries to act smart, walks forward but mishits it to long off.
Kevin Pietersen joins Shehzad.
STUMPED! Shafiq tries to walk forward to Asghar but misreads the trajectory. Kamran Akmal does the rest behind stumps.
Over 1: QUE 3-0
Only three from the first over. Cautious start from Quetta.
Ahmed Shehzad and Asad Shafiq will open the innings for Quetta Gladiators. Hasan Ali has the new ball for Peshawar.
Toss: Peshawar opt to bowl first as every team has done in the tournament due to the dew factor.