Peshwar Zalmi (201/5) beat Islamabad United (193/9) by 8 runs in a high scoring thriller of PSL 9

Sucks for Azam Khan - what an innings he had and entire team completely collapsed as he got out. It was a very easy position for Islamabad to win and they complete bottled it.

Imad has been a massive disappointment with the bat & ball for them.
 
Hahahah. Imad what a rubbish player so clueless poster wanted him as our captain lol. This rubbish should be dropped. Islamabad are playing with 10 players.
 
Can't believe everyone gets chance to bat before Haider Ali. I was so impressed with him when I first watched him play few years ago. What a sad downfall
 
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Imad & Faheem combined to bowl only 3 overs and gave up 46 runs. Last match, Imad only bowled 2 overs and was again smashed. Faheem didn't bowl at all last match.

Maybe you can keep one of them in the lineup but if you're basically not using their bowling at all and they're not doing much with the bat, I think Islamabad should look to make a change there and substitute them for a proper batsmen.
 
IU just bottled it today even a South Africa team would have won from there and that too in a knock out match.
 
Peshawar Zalmi completed a hat-trick of wins in HBL PSL 9 as they inflicted an eight-run defeat over Islamabad United at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Monday night. An unbeaten century by skipper Babar Azam helped them set a 202-run target, which they defended successfully courtesy of a five-for by leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob.

Shadab Khan won the toss and opted to field first. Peshawar Zalmi opening duo, Babar Azam and Saim Ayub, backed up their 136-run stand in the previous game with a strong start against Islamabad United, amassing an unbeaten 65 runs in the powerplay.

Salman Ali Agha provided the first breakthrough for United, as he removed Saim (38, 21b, 3x4s, 2x6s) in the eighth over to bring an end to the 77-run opening stand. Right after, Shadab bowled a double wicket over, claiming both Mohammad Haris and Haseebullah cheaply, to reign Peshawar in after their solid start.

At the halfway mark, Peshawar stood at 87-3 with Babar and Paul Walter at the crease. They added 34 runs together to the total before Walter (19, 13b, 2x4s) was run out by Shadab at the non-striker’s end in the 14th over. On the last delivery of the 15th over, Rovman Powell was caught behind for a-run-a-ball eight, with just one boundary off Naseem Shah’s bowling.

Asif Ali chipped in with an unbeaten 17 off nine on the back of two fours, contributing to a sixth-wicket stand that yielded an undefeated 77 from just 31 deliveries. Babar, playing the aggressor role, contributed 59 on 22 balls to this partnership, as they aided Peshawar to 201-5 after 20 overs.

Peshawar amassed 76 runs in the final five overs, with the 18th over going for 23 runs courtesy of four boundaries and one six scored by Babar off Hunain Shah’s bowling.

Babar brought up his 11th T20 century as he finished the innings with an unbeaten 111 off 63, on the back of an impressive tally of 14 boundaries and two maximums. With his knock today, Babar also overtook Lahore’s Rassie van der Dussen as the current leading run-scorer of HBL PSL 9..

Shadab was the pick of the bowlers for Islamabad, grabbing two wickets at the expense of 28 runs in four overs. Naseem and Salman returned with one wicket each.

In return, opening batter, Jordan Cox only managed 13 on 10 with one four, before he was dismissed by Luke Wood. Skipper Shadab came in to bat at number three, whilst in pursuit of 202-run target. He could only add six off eight before he was caught by Saim off Arif Yaqoob’s bowling.

Salman holed one out straight to Haris off Saim’s bowling as the third wicket fell for Islamabad in the 10th over, who stood at 74-3 at the halfway mark.

Azam Khan, the next batter in, took charge from the get-go. He smashed two sixes against Arif in the 11th over, setting the tone for the rest of his knock. He partnered with opening batter Colin Munro to stitch a 108-run fourth-wicket stand that brought Islamabad in touching distance of the target.

Munro brought up his half-century in the 14th over with a boundary against Salman Irshad, meanwhile, Azam did the same in the 16th over, taking only 21 deliveries to do so.

Naveen-ul-Haq provided the breakthrough for Zalmi as he got rid of Azam on the last ball of the 18th over. The wicketkeeper-batter walked back for an incredible 75 off just 30, showcasing six boundaries and as many maximums.

Arif, bowling the penultimate over with 21 runs required, bagged four wickets while giving just two runs to change the course of the game. He became the first spinner to take four wickets in one over in HBL PSL history, as well as registering the first five-wicket haul of the tournament this season.

Saim, Wood, Naveen and Salman had a wicket each as well.

Scores in brief:

Peshawar Zalmi beat Islamabad United by eight runs


Peshawar Zalmi 201-5, 20 overs (Babar Azam 111 not out, Saim Ayub 38; Shadab Khan 2-28)

Islamabad United 193-9, 20 overs (Azam Khan 75, Colin Munro 71; Arif Yaqoob 5-27)

Player of the match – Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi)
 
Not a big fan of Babar's captaincy but that decision to give Yaqoob the 18th over was a bold master stroke which won PZ the game.
 
Imad & Faheem combined to bowl only 3 overs and gave up 46 runs. Last match, Imad only bowled 2 overs and was again smashed. Faheem didn't bowl at all last match.

Maybe you can keep one of them in the lineup but if you're basically not using their bowling at all and they're not doing much with the bat, I think Islamabad should look to make a change there and substitute them for a proper batsmen.

IU need to bolster their bowling line up, they need a proper extra bowler who can bowl economically and get wickets. IU has been guilty of bolstering their batting at the expense of their bowling
 
Saim just impresses me ever more with every match he plays. Destroyed Mills and Imad upfront . That inside out six was brilliant to watch.

He's already one of the best catchers in the outfield.

And his bowling smarts were top notch. That in fact showed his cricketing IQ. Smarter than the rest of PAK team combined.

Agha has been in fine form and is a very good player of spin and he completely foxed Agha with that tossed up ball on a wide line.
 
where are the imad fans that defended him as if he was treated wrongly?

Called it on the first day that bring him to this franchise would be the dumbest mistake ever made.
 

I don't rate Shadab. I've been one of his most vocal critics over the last 12-18 months and I was delighted to see him kicked out of the Pakistan side.
 
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Anyone who vouches for Imam-ul-Haq has zero credibility, particularly if they have an appetite for substandard players like Ahmed Shehzad and Babar Azam.

I never vouched for Sharjeel during his post-ban return. Prior to his ban, he was decent.

Shan Masood is a below par white ball player but he deserves to be part of the PSL as a specialist captain because he has the best cricketing mind in Pakistan by some distance. Karachi Kings have exceeded expectations because of his captaincy.

I have no shame to admit that I vouched for Imad. We'll soon find out if he's going through a bad run of form or if he's washed up.
 
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Azam Khan and Munro were cruising along and the chase looked like done and dusted but Arif Yaqoob had other plans. What a marvelous turn of events for IU, Should have won the game by 6-7 wickets but ended up losing the game by the same number of runs. Absolute thriller of a game to witness. Babar's inning gave another shut up call to many.
 
Ahh yes Babar Azam the great. So good he is that he failed to score a single 50 in the 22 Asia and world cup, scored 0 hundreds in the 23 word cup and not even a single 50 in Australia this time around

Wah what a great
He scored a match winning 50 in the SF. Get your head and facts straight
 
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