Haider Ali’s flamboyant and unbeaten 29-ball 52 and Imad Wasim’s belligerent and unconquered 40-ball 59 marched Islamabad United into the final of the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Karachi on Saturday.
ISLAMABAD UNITED'S INNINGS
Chasing a target of 186, the United completed the equation, scoring 189-5 with six balls remaining. Imad Wasim played a lovely shot to sweep past the Zalmi by five wickets.
Imad Wasim creamed nine boundaries in his tremendous knock. Haider Ali smashed two boundaries and five towering sixes.
Martin Guptill smashed 21-ball 35, lacing with five boundaries and one six, before he was removed by Khurram Shahzad.
Other batters, Alex Hales (1), Agha Salman (5), Shadab Khan (0) could not show any resistance with the bat.
Azam Khan looked good for his 17-ball 22 before being flummoxed by Luke Wood.
For the Zalmi, Saim Ayub (2-34) bagged two wickets.
Luke Wood (1-38), Mehran Mumtaz (1-31), Khurram Shahzad (1-22) took a scalp each.
Aamer Jamal (0-41) and Arif Yaqoob (0-19) remained wicketless.
The United will lock horns against the Multan Sultans on Monday, (March 18). This will be after 2018, when United will play in the final of the domestic marquee tournament.
PESHAWAR ZALMI'S INNINGS
Saim Ayub’s fiery 44-ball 73 and Mohammad Haris’s circumspect 25-ball 40 powered Peshawar Zalmi to 185-5 against the United.
After being put to the test, the Zalmi were off to a fiery start, thanks to the blazing partnership of Babar Azam and Saim Ayub. The duo racked up a 72-run partnership off 46 deliveries before Babar was removed by Naseem Shah.
Babar Azam clobbered two boundaries and one six in his 22-ball 25.
Saim Ayub rebounded Zalmi’s innings by joining hands with Mohammad Haris. Saim whacked six boundaries and four sixes before being undone by Shadab Khan.
Mohammad Haris was looking flamboyant, before he was perplexed by Naseem Shah on a 25-ball 40. He clubbed three boundaries and two sixes.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore (18) and Rovman Powell (2) could not show resistance with the bat.
Aamer Jamal (17) and Hussain Talat (8) remained unbeaten.
For the United, Naseem Shah (3-30) remained the standout bowler, scooping three wickets.
Shadab Khan (1-35) and Obed McCoy (1-50) took a scalp each.
Imad Wasim (0-23) bowled brilliantly and merely conceded 23 runs in his four overs, without taking a wicket.
Agha Salman (0-13) and Faheem Ashraf (0-34) remained wicketless.
TOSS
United captain Shadab Khan had decided to bowl first against the Zalmi.
TEAMS
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Hussain Talat, Rovman Powell, Aamir Jamal, Luke Wood, Mehran Mumtaz, Arif Yaqoob, Khurram Shahzad
Islamabad United: Shadab Khan (c), Alex Hales, Martin Guptill, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan (wk), Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah, Obed McCoy
