Peshawar Zalmi booked a date with Multan Sultans in the final of Pakistan Super League 2021 with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Islamabad United. They chased down an imposing target of 175 runs with 19 balls to spare.
Hazratullah Zazai stole the show with his second consecutive fifty before Shoaib Malik and Jonathan Wells guided Peshawar across the finishing line.
Earlier in the evening, Peshawar won the toss and invited Islamabad to bat. They got off to a terrible start, losing two wickets inside the first two overs.
Colin Munro, however, held the fort from one end, adding 56 with Brandon King for the third wicket. Munro scored 44 in 29 balls, while King contributed with a 16-ball 18 before getting out to Amad Butt. In a blink of an eye, Islamabad skidded to 110/8.
Hasan Ali then played a blinder, clobbering Peshawar’s bowlers all over the park. He muscled five fours and three sixes for his 18-ball 45. Mohammad Wasim Jr did a decent job in a supporting role, smashing two sixes for his 17*.
Chasing the target, Peshawar lost Kamran Akmal in the first over, but not before he hit two boundaries in his short stay. Kamran was bowled through the gate by Hasan.
But that was the only wicket they could claim before Hazratullah Zazai and Jonathan Wells took the game away with a blistering second-wicket stand.
Zazai, coming off on a match-winning performance in Eliminator 1, shone yet again. He ensured the asking rate never tickled off the radar. He made 66 in 44 balls as Wells provided calm support.
Zazai eventually fell to Wasim Jr, only for Shoaib Malik (32 off 10) to come and explode straightaway. They hunted down the target with 19 balls to spare.
Brief score: Islamabad United 174/9 in 20 overs (Hasan 45; Riaz 2-35) lost to Peshawar Zalmi 177/2 in 16.5 overs (Zazai 66, Wasim Jr 1-32) by 8 wickets with 19 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Hazratullah Zazai