PSL 6 Eliminator 2: Zazai, Wells propel Peshawar to final

Hazratullah Zazai and Jonathan Wells star for Peshawar Zalmi as they beat Islamabad United by 8 wickets in the second eliminator to register their berth for the HBL PSL 6 final on Thursday.

The Yellow Storm chased down the 175-run target in the 17th over thanks to the 135-run stand between Zazai and Wells.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz invited Islamabad United to bat first after winning the toss. The skipper had a plan in mind as he played an all-seamers bowling attack on an Abu Dhabi pitch.

However, the plan worked, producing two early wickets in the powerplay. In-form Usman Khawaja was first to depart. He got run out for one in the opening over before Mohammad Imran removed Mohammad Akhlaq in the second over for 7.

Colin Munro took less than six balls to brush off the pressure of early wickets and built an invaluable 55-run partnership in just 30 balls with Brendon King who departed after scoring 18.

Tall fast bowler Mohammad Irfan removed Munro in the next over for 44, leaving Zalmi 76/4. His wicket triggered a dramatic collapse as the next four wickets went down for just 34 runs. Islamabad were 110/8 in the 16th over with no recognized batsman on the crease.

However, Hassan Ali and Mohammad Wasim turned the match on its head by adding 62 runs for the 9th wickets stand in just 26 balls. Hassan Ali was 45 from just 16 balls when he got run out while trying to steal a run on the second-last ball of the innings, propelling Islamabad United to 174/9.

Wahab Riaz and Umaid Asif took two wickets each for Zalmi.

Zalmi had a nervous start to the chase, losing Kamran Akmal in the first over that produced 15 runs. Islamabad bowlers kept Hazratullah Zazai and Jonathan Wells quiet for the first ten overs, giving away only 77 runs. They bowled tight lines and outside his arch to keep the big man calm.

However, both batters began to flex muscles in the second part of the innings, taking 14 runs off the 11th over, and 21 in the 12th. Both reached their fifties in 39 balls in the process, bringing down the asking rate with every boundary.

The pair had put up a match-winning, 135-run partnership for the second wicket when Zazai departed for a 44-ball 66; Peshawar required only 34 off 33 runs.

The next pair, Shoaib Malik and Wells, finished it off in style, chasing down the target inside the 17th over, knocking out hot-favourite Islamabad United. Malik carried the bat with his 10-ball 32 while Wells remained not out for 55 off 43.

Peshawar will now face Multan in the final on Thursday.