Peshawar Zalmi dismantle Islamabad United to enter PSL final
Defending champions shot out by a clinical Peshawar, who, with their 48-run win, reached the trophy match for the third successive year
Defending champions shot out by a clinical Peshawar, who, with their 48-run win, reached the trophy match for the third successive year
That's all we have for you today, goodnight and join us for the final.
11.17 pm Darren Sammy: "The way Kamran and Imam set it up on top, it was just brilliant. I did say they are match-winners at the toss, and we saw how well they played today. To post 200 in a do-or-die game is always good. It was a good tactical decision (to bowl four fast bowlers). It was a big call to leave out Dawson, but we always put the team first here and Chis Jordan had an amazing series in the West Indies. I'm just shocked that Wahab and Hasan aren't bowling for Pakistan. I am very pleased to be in the finals, the Zalmi team has reached three consecutive finals, so it shows the kind of cricket we play. Our guys will be pumped up, two top teams in the final. We have played good cricket throughout the tournament. Different type of pressure in the final. It's about holding our nerve, like we did today. The atmosphere has been brilliant. We have to raise the bar one more time."
Mohammad Sami: "We were on the backfoot since their opening stand. If you see the pitch, there wasn't much spin on it. I'm proud of my team, they played well to get to here. We will come back stronger next year. We gave too high a target today. We should have given 20-30 runs fewer. Overall, we are proud that several players from our side have played for Pakistan."
11.07 pm Kamran Akmal is the Man of the Match for his splendid 74 off 43. Well deserved, he set the game up for Zalmi and ensured a total that would be beyond Islamabad. "The team played really well, and we got a good total because of the way Imam built the partnership. Then Pollard and Sammy finished it well. It was a very good pitch. Wahab has been bowling fast throughout the tournament. We got wickets in the PowerPlay which is why we could defend our total. I give credit to the whole team for qualifying for the final."
10.54pm Once Zalmi got to a formidable 214 it was always going to be very difficult for Islamabad. Zalmi's total was built on a formidable opening stand, with Imam and Kamran carting the bowlers to all parts. The Islamabad bowlers erred in line and length too often, and paid the price. Pollard and Sammy struck their usual blows at the end to swell the total. Zalmi's bowlers were much more disciplined and fiery, with Wahab hitting 150+, and Jordan, Mills and Hasan Ali also quick and menacing. A comfortable win in the end.
Defending champions shot out by a clinical Peshawar, who, with their 48-run win, reached the trophy match for the third successive year