Quetta Gladiators qualify for the finals in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) by beating Peshawar Zalmi with a nail biting one-run win at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Peshawar Zalmi still got another lifeline with another crack at the final. Peshawar will play the second qualifier with the winner of the clash between Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings.
Zalmi’s Sammy, 38 on 29 balls could spin the magic. But Zalmies were cut short by Nawaz who clinched Man of the Match award by taking three crucial wickets sealing one-run victory for the Gladiators.
Earlier, Zalmi won the toss and chose to field. Sent into bat first, Gladiators lost two early wickets of Ahmed Shehzad (6) and Bismillah Khan (0) before Kevin Pietersen and Kumar Sangakkara joined hands to boost the Gladiators’ total.
For Zalmi, it was Wahab Riaz’s day who played an unexpected all round innings with 16-ball 22. He was also the chief destroyer for Zalmi, taking three wickets for 17 runs.
Wahab Riaz in concert with Shaun Tait bagged five wickets between them to restrict Quetta Gladiators to 133 in the first PSL playoff.
Pietersen struck 53 from 38 balls while Sangakkara made 37. At one stage, Gladiators were 90/2 in 11.5 overs and were destined for a good total when Darren Sammy removed the Sri Lankan great.
Gladiators suffered a collapse and were eventually all out for 133 in 19.3 overs.