In a turn of events, Jason Roy’s record-breaking century led Quetta Gladiators to an eight-wicket victory over Peshawar Zalmi at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Roy’s exuberant knock of 145 helped the Gladiators chase down 241 runs in 18.2 overs, creating history by pulling off an unbelievable run-chase for the Gladiators.
Roy garnered great applause as he was astonishing with the bat during the successful highest run-chase in PSL’s history. He smoked 20 boundaries and five maximums to score the highest individual total of PSL. The previous highest was 127 scored by Colin Ingram in 2019.
Set to chase a mammoth total of 241 runs, Roy alongside his opening partner Martin Guptill gave a fiery start to the Babar Azam-led Zalmi. Guptill was caught and bowled by Wahab Riaz.
However, Roy alongside Will Smeed scored 109 off just 55 balls. Smeed supported him well with 22-ball 26. Mohammad Hafeez also partnered strongly with Roy as they both yielded 93 off 39 balls. The Pakistan veteran remained not-out for 41 laced with six boundaries and two maximums.
Only Wahab and Mujeeb Ur Rehman could take a wicket each for Zalmi.
Earlier, Babar replied to his critics with the bat by scoring his maiden century in PSL with a strike rate of 171.66.
In the 25th match of the ongoing PSL 8, Babar alongside Saim Ayub partnered for a magnificent opening as Zalmi managed to score 240-2 against the Gladiators. The two batters scored 162 runs off 81 balls to register the second-highest partnership in the tournament’s history.
Saim continued his top form and smashed 74 off just 34 balls including all of his unbelievable shots. The left-handed batter impressed viewers by smashing six boundaries and five maximums.
The young gun was bagged by Dwaine Pretorius with a slower delivery in the 14th over. But Babar kept going and scored his first PSL century. The skipper suffered from immense criticism for his strike rate in the previous match. However, he proved himself yet again to score a century — that too with an improved scoring rate.
He was bowled out after scoring 115 runs, laced with 15 boundaries and three sixes.
In the end, Rovman Powell contributed a quick 18-ball 35. Pretorius was the lone wicket-taker in the first innings.
Toss
Peshawar Zalmi’s won the toss and decided to bat first against Quetta Gladiators.
Gladiators played without their regular captain Sarfaraz Ahmed who will miss his first-ever PSL outing in the last eight years.
Squads
Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris (wk), Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Haseebullah Khan, Rovman Powell, Aamer Jamal, Wahab Riaz, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Arshad Iqbal
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Will Smeed, Martin Guptill, Mohammad Hafeez, Iftikhar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Nawaz (c), Dwaine Pretorius, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Aimal Khan
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