Peshawar Zalmi thrash Quetta Gladiators to clinch PSL crown

March 5, 2017
Peshawar Zalmi cricketers celebrate after dismissal of Quetta Gladiators batsman Ahmed Shehzad (R) during the final cricket match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi at The Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on March 5, 2017. -AFP

Peshawar Zalmi cricketers celebrate after dismissal of Quetta Gladiators batsman Ahmed Shehzad (R) during the final cricket match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) between Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi at The Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on March 5, 2017. -AFP

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by 58 runs to win second edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sunday.

Quetta Gladiators had a terrible start, chasing 149-run target against Peshawar Zalmi. They were all out on just 90 runs.

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Earlier, a late-order surge from captain Darren Sammy helped Peshawar Zalmi post 148 runs.

Zalmi kicked off their innings with three solid boundaries by opener Kamran Akmal. The middle order appeared to collapse under pressure halfway through the game.

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The much-awaited final of PSL began at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after Quetta Gladiators won the toss and opted to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi.

Gladiators skipper Sarfraz Ahmed says: “We choose to bowl. There is some pressure obviosuly but hopefully we play some good cricket. We have lost four good foreign players but we have others coming in Morne van Wyk, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Sean Ervive, Rayad Emrit are Quetta’s foreign players. Elton Chigumbura misses out.”

Zalmi skipper Darren Sammy says: “It looks like a good wicket. Last game we lost the toss and scored 180. The atmosphere is great and hopefully Peshawar comes out victorious. My good friend Lala said: ‘If we get to the final you should come to Lahore for the final’. Hopefully we can entertain and cricket will be the winner. We have an enforced change with Afridi getting injured. Iftikhar Ahmed replaces Afridi.”

Ahmed Shehzad says: “If Peshawar wins, Quetta wins, it’s a win-win situation for Pakistan.”

Earlier, the closing ceremony of PSL’s second edition held at the Stadium. Actors Ahmed Ali Butt and Ayesha Omer hosted the show.

Singers Ali Zafar, Fakhir Mehmood, Ali Azmat and Overload band enthralled audience with their performances.

The ceremony concluded with PSL Chairman Najam Sethi’s brief speech.

He said: Pakistanis and peaceful people and they know how to host cricket event.

“Today there are people here from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Karachi, Quetta ─ from every part of Pakistan. This is a show of solidarity. The whole world should see we are together. We will not bow our heads before anyone. We can do anything,” Sethi said.

He thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and local administration for making the dream of hosting PSL final come true.

 
 
 

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