Rassie van der Dussen’s undefeated ton in vain as Peshawar down Lahore in PSL-9

Staff Report

 LAHORE: Saim Ayub’s belligerent batting effort for Peshawar Zalmi helped ensure a second win for the team in PSL-9 as Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten century went in vain after Lahore Qalandars fell eight short of the 212-run target on Sunday night at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. The home team, Qalandars, have lost their first five games of the PSL-9. Requiring 212 to win, Lahore Qalandars lost their opening batter Sahibzada Farhan (15, 12b, 3x4s) early as he fell to Naveen-ul-Haq in the third over. van der Dussen announced his arrival at the crease with two consecutive fours. Fakhar Zaman soon returned for a paltry eight-ball four as Luke Wood disturbed the timber. By the end of the powerplay, Qalandars had scored 56 runs for the loss of two batters. van der Dussen and Shai Hope joined forces to stitch a 71-run third wicket partnership, with the 11th over yielding 18 runs. Salman Irshad struck to remove Hope as the West Indies batter walked back for 29 off 23 balls with Qalandars requiring 103 runs off 45 balls.

The fourth-wicket partnership between Ahsan Hafeez Bhatti and van der Dussen lasted for 26 balls yielding 55 runs before Naveen removed Ahsan with the help of a brilliant catch by Saim in the deep with the required run rate creeping up to 15. Qalandars required 47 off the last three overs and southpaw Jahandad Khan hit Salman for three fours in the over, accumulating 13 runs. van der Dussen brought up his fifth T20 and maiden PSL century in the penultimate over and remained unbeaten on 104 off 52 balls as Lahore lost the game by eight runs. For Zalmi, Naveen picked up two wickets while Wood, Walter and Salman returned for one wicket each. Earlier in the evening, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and invited Peshawar Zalmi to bat first. The Zalmi opening batters, Saim and Babar came out all guns blazing, accumulating 57 runs in the powerplay, courtesy of nine fours.

At the halfway mark Zalmi had racked up 90 runs on the board without any loss, setting the tone for the huge total. In the following over, a single followed by a towering six by Saim brought up the 100-run-opening partnership while he also reached his eighth PSL half-century. The 136-run opening stand between Saim & Babar was the second-highest opening partnership in PSL-9. Shaheen Shah Afridi returned to dismiss Babar, denying him the half-century as he was dismissed for 48 off 36 balls, comprising five boundaries. Powell bludgeoned the 16th over delivered by Mohammad Imran Jnr for 22 runs on the back of two fours and as many sixes. The duo stitched a 17-ball 39-run second-wicket partnership. Saim fell prey to a lethal Shaheen yorker as he returned for a 55-ball 88, hitting eight fours and four sixes. The over turned dramatic as Asif Ali too followed Saim to the dugout but only after hitting Shaheen for a six over fine leg boundary. Powell powered his way to a brisk 46-run knock off just 20 balls while Mohammad Haris, batting at five, remained unbeaten for a five-ball 12 pushing Peshawar Zalmi to 211-4 in the allotted 20 overs. Shaheen bagged a three-wicket haul while Jahandad Khan picked up a solitary wicket.

Brief scores:

Peshawar Zalmi beat Lahore Qalandars by eight runs

Peshawar Zalmi 211-4, 20 overs (Saim Ayub 88, Babar Azam 48, Rovman Powell 46; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-33) vs Lahore Qalandars 203-6, 20 overs (Rassie van der Dussen 104 not out, Shai Hope 29; Naveen-ul-Haq 2-50)

Player of the match: Saim Ayub (Peshawar Zalmi)