Iftikhar Ahmed scored an impressive fifty powered by six sixes in the final over, helping Quetta Gladiators to post a 185-run target against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) exhibition match in Balochistan‘s capital on Sunday.
Earlier, Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam won the toss and asked Gladiators to bat first. Veteran pacer Wahab Riaz provided Zalmi with a perfect start by dismissing openers Ahsan Ali and Umar Akmal in the second over of the innings but Quetta fought back in the second half of the innings to post a competitive total on the board.
Ahmed smacked a six on each ball of the final over by Riaz to ensure that his side finished on a high. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 94 runs in 50 balls.
Middle-order batter Khushdil Shah scored 36 runs in 24 balls, meanwhile, opener Abdul Wahid Bangalzai scored 28 in 19.
Quetta captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who could only score four runs, was cleaned up by Aamir Jamal.
Riaz claimed three wickets but conceded 47 runs in his full quota of four overs.
Fans turned up to the stadium early in the morning as the gates were said to be closed by 9am. They lined up to enter the stadium to watch their cricket stars in action.
Due to the huge crowd, management closed the doors of the ground to avoid any mishap and were gradually letting the crowd enter the stadium.
Playing XI
Quetta Gladiators: Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Ahsan Ali, Bismillah Khan, Umar Akmal, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Aimal Khan, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Hasnain, Umaid Asif, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Haseebullah, Azam Khan, Aamir Jamal, Usama Mir, Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Salman Irshad
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