LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi’s Alzarri Joseph spearheaded the attack with exceptional figures of 3/33, limiting Quetta Gladiators to 178/7 in their 17th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
The Gladiators got off to a decent start to their innings as their opening pair of Finn Allen and Saud Shakeel yielded brisk 46 runs.
Allen, who was the core aggressor of the opening was the first to depart as he fell victim to Alzarri Joseph on the third delivery of the fifth over. He scored 31 off 16 deliveries with the help of four fours and two sixes.
Shakeel was then involved in another important partnership for the Gladiators when he knitted 45 runs for the second wicket with Rilee Rossouw before Saim Ayub dismissed both set batters in his successive overs, bringing the total down to 105/3 in 11.2 overs.
The skipper struck five fours on his way to a 26-ball 32, while Rossouw made 27 off 18 deliveries, hitting as many boundaries.
Following the back-to-back blows, Kusal Mendis and Mark Chapman stitched an anchoring 39-run partnership for the fourth wicket until Joseph got the former caught behind in the 17th over.
Mendis scored 32 off 27 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.
Chapman, on the other hand, fell victim to Luke Wood in the final over after top-scoring for the Gladiators with a 33 off 26 deliveries, laced with three boundaries.
Azlarri Joseph was the standout bowler for Zalmi, taking three wickets for just 33 runs in his four overs, followed by Ayub with two, while Wood chipped in with one scalp.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bowl first against Quetta Gladiators.
Quetta Gladiators will draw confidence from their comprehensive 80-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi in their season opener.
That dominant performance, which showcased Quetta’s all-round capabilities, gives them a psychological edge heading into today’s clash.
Quetta Gladiators have had a roller-coaster tournament thus far. After their emphatic start against Peshawar, they’ve failed to maintain consistency, particularly in their batting department.
Their recent narrow victory against Karachi Kings, however, where they defended a modest total of 142, has instilled fresh belief in the squad.
Captain Saud Shakeel’s form will be crucial at the top of the order, while Sri Lankan star Kusal Mendis and South African veteran Rilee Rossouw provide international experience. The bowling attack, spearheaded by the evergreen Mohammad Amir and complemented by the mystery spin of Abrar Ahmed, remains their strongest suit.
Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, have endured a difficult campaign, losing three of their four matches thus far.
Their sole victory – a commanding 120-run win over Multan Sultans – demonstrated their potential, but they’ve struggled to build momentum.
The yellow storm’s fortunes largely depend on their talismanic batsman Babar Azam, who has been consistent without being explosive.
The aggressive Mohammad Haris adds firepower in the middle order, while overseas pacers Luke Wood and Alzarri Joseph lead a bowling attack that has shown flashes of brilliance but lacks consistency in the death overs.
The contest presents an intriguing tactical battle between Quetta’s superior bowling attack and Peshawar’s top-heavy batting lineup.
Squads
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (all platinum), Mohammad Haris, George Linde and Mohammad Ali (both diamond), Hussain Talat, Nahid Rana and Abdul Samad (all gold), Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Sufiyan Muqeem and Najibullah Zadran (all silver), Ali Raza and Maaz Sadaqat (both emerging), Mitchell Owen, Ahmed Daniyal, Alzarri Joseph and Ihsanullah (all supplementary).
Quetta Gladiators: Finn Allen, Faheem Ashraf and Mark Chapman (all platinum), Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Rilee Rossouw (all diamond), Akeal Hossein, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Saud Shakeel (all gold), Khawaja Nafay, Usman Tariq, Haseebullah Khan and Khurram Shahzad (all silver), Kyle Jamieson and Hasan Nawaz (both emerging), Mohammad Zeeshan, Danish Aziz, Kusal Mendis and Sean Abbott (all supplementary).
