Shoaib Malik Clinches a Narrow Win for Peshawar in Thrilling PSL Classico

Shoaib Malik Clinches a Narrow Win for Peshawar in Thrilling PSL Classico

Post-match

Peshawar Zalmi batsmen Hussain Talat and Shoaib Malik masterfully guided the team to a massive 191-run target. In the PSL 2022 points table, Peshawar has moved up to second place.

Quetta got off to a good start, with openers Ahsan Ali and Will Smeed ripping through the Zalmi’s weak bowling attack. Smeed, in particular, was outstanding, scoring 97 on his PSL debut before being caught at the boundary on the penultimate ball of the innings, just missing out on his maiden century.

Zalmi reacted with a fast start of their own, with openers Yasir Khan and Tom Kohler-Cadmore smashing the Gladiators’ bowlers all over the ground. Mohammad Nawaz fought back with three early wickets, but Shoaib Malik’s experience and Hussain Talat’s brilliance helped Zalmi reclaim the run-chase.

Also Read: Here’s PSL 2022’s Opening Ceremony in Pictures

With 5 wickets in hand and two balls to spare, Zalmi knocked down the target.

For his amazing effort, Will Smeed was named player of the match.

Pre-match

On Friday, January 28, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 finalists, Peshawar Zalmi, will face the 2019 champions, Quetta Gladiators, in the second match of the PSL 2022.

The match will begin at 7 p.m. PST at Karachi’s National Stadium.

Match Preview

This will be a crucial match for the Quetta Gladiators, who are looking to get off to a winning start in the competition after two successive losses in the previous two seasons. Sarfaraz and his team will gain confidence by beating the previous season’s finals.

The Gladiators, like many other franchises, have undergone a makeover and have added the missing firepower and depth in the batting and bowling areas to make them appear excellent on paper. They now have a better opportunity this year of changing their fortunes.

Also Read: PSL Schedule 2022: PSL 7 Match Timings, Teams, Venues

With the addition of Iftikhar Ahmed, Dan Lawrence, Shimron Hetmyr, James Vince, and Jason Roy to their squad, the Gladiators have bolstered their batting order. Then there’s Sohail Tanvir, a seasoned bowler, and youngsters Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah.

The spin department, on the other hand, appears to be well-established, with the presence of tried-and-true Mohammad Nawaz and newcomer Noor Ahmad, with Iftikhar assisting with off-spin when needed.

Then there are players like James Faulkner and Shahid Afridi to bolster their batting later on.

Sarfaraz and his team appear to have covered all the basics on paper. It will be critical, though, for them to go out and carry out the plans on the field.

Peshawar, on the other hand, is currently one of the worst-affected franchisees due to COVID-19 infections. The COVID-19 has infected Wahab Riaz, Hazratullah Zazai, and Kamran Akmal.

In Wahab’s absence, Shoaib Malik, a seasoned pro, will lead the team against Gladiators tomorrow. Zalmi still has Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sherfane Rutherford, Matt Parkinson, and Ben Cutting to rely on despite the absence of their key players.

Match Details

  • Date Friday, 28 January 2022
  • Time 07:00 pm PKT
  • Venue National Stadium Karachi
  • Live Stream LINK

Squads

Quetta Gladiators Squad:James Vince, Jason Roy, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Iftikhar Ahmed, James Faulkner, Mohammad Nawaz, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Ben Duckett, Khurram Shehzad, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Akmal, Abdul Wahid Bangalzai, Ashar Qureshi, Ahsan Ali and Noor Ahmed.

Also Read: Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 Schedule, Live Score, Points Table, Highlights

Peshawar Zalmi: Hazratulah Zazai, Liam Livingstone, Wahab Riaz, Haider Ali, Sherfane Rutherford, Shoaib Malik, Hussain Talat, Saqib Mahmood, Usman Qadir, Arshad Iqbal, Kamran Akmal, Salman Irshad, Sameen Gul, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Mohammad Aamer, Sirajuddin, Ben Cutting and Mohammad Haris.

Possible Playing XIs:

Quetta Possible XI – Ben Duckett, Ahsan Ali, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c & wk), Iftikhar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Nawaz, James Faulkner, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Sohail Tanvir, and Ghulam MudassarAdvertisement

Peshawar Zalmi Possible XI – Mohammad Haris, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Hussain Talat, Ben Cutting, Usman Qadir, Sameen Gul, Salman Irshad, and Mohammad Aamer

Head to Head

In total, the two teams have met 16 times in the event, with each winning eight times. They last met on February 26, 2021, at the same stadium, and Peshawar won by three wickets.

X-Factor

The pace batteries for Quetta is particularly powerful, as they have two express fast bowlers in Mohammad Hasnain and Naseem Shah. If the two play tonight, they will almost certainly receive early help and will be able to put a dent in Zalmi’s batting line.

Sherfane Rutherford was a wonderful signing last year, and he’ll be essential for Zalmi in terms of power hitting once again.

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