Gurbaz, Hasan Ali serve up the Islamabad United special
They blew Peshawar Zalmi away by six wickets, coasting to the 157 they required inside 15 overs
They blew Peshawar Zalmi away by six wickets, coasting to the 157 they required inside 15 overs
Scorer: Binoy George | Commentator: Abhimanyu Bose
10.35pm That will be all from us tonight! It was a game that Peshawar Zalmi started strong in, but once Hasan Ali had his double-wicket over, there was no looking back for Islamabad United. Here's Danyal's report, in case you missed the action. United will be back in action tomorrow, when they take on Quetta Gladiators. This is Abhimanyu, signing off on behalf of Danyal and Binoy George. Goodnight everyone!
10.30pm Time for the presentation ceremony.
Hasan Ali, player of the match: I didn't play the first two games, but I keep dreaming. I was working ard in the nets. I got an opportunity and the first over didn't go well. I would like to thank the staff. I would also like to thank one more person. She has always pushed me hard. My wife, I would like to thank her today. I always believed that this ball belonged to me. The ball was swinging a little and I knew I could get the better of this lineup. [On his celebrations]: When the junior guys found out that I was playing, they said they want to celebrate with me so it was for them.
Shadab Khan: [On if he had doubts they would win after Zalmi's Powerplay performance] No, definitely not. T20 cricket, it can change any time. So even after the first six overs we knew we could come back. We had to hit the hard lengths. After bowling the first few balls, I knew the slower balls would work. [On how he will fit Alex Hales into the team] We don't know how to! But that's a good thing because last year we didn't have a lot of bench strength, but this year we do. Also I want to talk about Asif Ali. He has been a match-winner for us at No. 6. I don't think we have another match-winner like that in our team.
10.15pm Here's Babar Azam: "The way we started, it was really good. We were going as per plan, but after one wicket, we lost a few back-to-back. That broke down the momentum a little. We tried to regain that momentum, but it was too late. We never got a partnership. I think it was a 180-200 kind of a wicket, but we didn't play well enough. Yes, the way we are starting off well, we are not being able to finish as strong. So I feel we need to look at that. Sometimes when you lose back-to-back wickets, it brings pressure and I always look to take it deep and play as long as I can. The way I started today, I couldn't finish off. Might have been a different scenario if I had a batter with me at the end. The bowling today was not upto the mark. The fielding as well, maybe if we had taken our chances in the powerplay, things would have been different."
Rahmanullah Gurbaz: "It was amazing how we came back. He [Hasan Ali] got us back into the game and that gave us the momentum. I am really excited to be back here. I don't think if the total is big or small, I just play my natural game and that is what the coaches also want from me. The wicket was not easy, the spinners were getting the ball to grip and the slower balls from the pacers were gripping too but I tried to be positive."
10.10pm If Peshawar Zalmi's powerplay performance was something to admire, Islamabad United made sure they grabbed all the eyeballs as they raced to 80-1 in the first six. Their target of 157 was not too much to start off with and United pretty much had the match in the bag since then. Gurbaz was the star, with a dashing half-century. Rassie van der Dussen and Asif Ali also played good knocks.
They blew Peshawar Zalmi away by six wickets, coasting to the 157 they required inside 15 overs