PZ’s Malik fights hard but IU wins high-scoring contest by 15 runs

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A Sports
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Abu Dhabi: Shoaib Malik put everything into the game for Peshawar Zalmi to chase a mammoth total of 248 but Islamabad United in the end won the contest by 15 runs. 
The right-handed batsman stood firm and tackled the United’s bowlers at the end to put them under pressure while bowling despite posting the highest-ever Pakistan Super League (PSL) total to chase there.


Earlier, stand-in skipper Usman Khuwaja scored his maiden PSL century and led Islamabad United to highest-ever PSL total, 247-2.


Usman put United in the driving seat with a composed mindset and a handy knock of 105 not-out. He struck 13 boundaries and three sixes during his magnificent run.
Sent into bat first, United had a confident 98-runs start between openers Colin Munro and Khuwaja. The duo smashed the ball all around the park to put Zalmi under immense pressure.


Shoaib Malik, in the 10th over, brought a breakthrough for Zalmi by removing Munro who scored 47 runs off 28 balls with the help of five boundaries and two sixes.
Asif Ali then came in and stolen the show with his powerful 14-ball 43 runs knock laced with five sixes and two boundaries. Brendon King also joined the party with his 46 not out including three sixes and five boundaries.


Sameen Gul was the only other wicket-taker alongside Malik from Zalmi.
In reply, Zalmi lost Hazratullah Zazai to Akif Javed on the very first ball of the inning.


But, Kamran Akmal was in a mood to take revenge from United. The wicket-keeper batsman struck 53 off 32 with the help of seven boundaries and two sixes. It was his 11th PSL fifty.
He alongside Malik scored 53 runs to help Zalmi rise from 35-2 to 88-2 in 8.5 overs. The fall of Kamran to Hussain Talat didn’t stop Malik from what he was doing, he went on struck 68 runs off 36 balls laced with six boundaries and three sixes.


In the end, Wahab Riaz and Umaid Asif took the charge and tried to complete a record chase but they fell just short of their target. Wahab smashed two sixes and a boundary to score 28 while Umaid hit two boundaries and a six to make 20.


Sherfane Rutherford also contributed 29 runs spread over a boundary and four maximums.


Akif bowled really well for United in the last over, he picked three wickets while conceding 43 runs in four overs. Hussain picked up two while Hasan Ali managed to get just one.


TOSS
Zalmi won the toss and decided to bowl first
Peshawar Zalmi: Kamran Akmal (wk), Hazratullah Zazai, Imam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Abrar Ahmed, Wahab Riaz (capt), Umaid Asif, Waqar Salamkhail, Sameen Gul
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Usman Khawaja (capt), Brandon King, Hussain Talat, Iftikhar Ahmed, Asif Ali, Muhammad Akhlaq (wk),Hasan Ali, Zafar Gohar, Fawad Ahmed, Akif Javed

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