South Africa's David Miller smacked a robust half-century and led Peshawar Zalmi to an emphatic 61-run win over the depleted Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. (More Cricket News)
Left-handed Miller hit 73 off 46 balls and West Indian Rovman Powell provided an ideal flourish with a quickfire 43 off 19 balls to propel Peshawar to 197-5.
Quetta skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed top-scored in the reply with 36, but his team lost wickets in clusters against the pace trio of Mohammad Irfan (3-27), Umaid Asif (2-17), and captain Wahab Riaz (2-20) to fall well short at 136-9. Five Quetta batsmen went for ducks.
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For the second consecutive day, Quetta bowlers were battered by a left-hander after Islamabad United’s Colin Munro smacked 90 from 36 in 10 overs on Thursday and inflicted a 10-wicket defeat on Quetta.
Quetta seemed to be in control when it restricted Peshawar to 67-2 by the halfway mark.
But Miller and discarded Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal (59) dealt a counterpunch with a 125-run third-wicket stand off 72 balls. Quetta, yet again, faltered and conceded 130 runs off the last 10 overs.
Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (2-33), who picked up the early wickets of Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik, conceded 20 off his last over; Cameron Delport went for 25 off his solitary over; and legspinner Zahid Mahmood was pounded for 53 off his three wicketless overs.
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Quetta's woes were compounded when key batsman Faf du Plessis collided with Mohammad Hasnain in the outfield and the South African was taken to the hospital for a precautionary checkup.
Peshawar moved to third on the table, while Quetta remained last.
(AP)
