Sufiyan Muqeem three-wicket haul was yet again decisive as Peshawar Zalmi consolidated their leadership in PSL 11 with a resounding bowling effort against Quetta Gladiators in the 23rd match at the National Bank Stadium. The young spinner has maintained his outstanding performance as he took his fifth three-wicket haul in a row, which is not a common occurrence in the history of the tournament.
One bold choice Babar Azam, the captain of Zalmi, made was to field first and it gave instant results. The pitch was providing early support to bowlers, and Zalmi used it to the fullest. Quetta Gladiators were never put on their feet in the first place and they did not manage to establish any strong basis in their inning.
The first two Ahsan Ali and captain Saud Shakeel managed to score a few runs but were soon put under early pressure and this disrupted their flow. Ahsan Ali was a cheaply acquired player who only made four runs to offer Zalmi a clean start. Shortly thereafter Shakeel tried to stabilize the innings with Rilee Rossouw and the pair never got down to business.
The Gladiators, in spite of an initial opposition, kept on losing wickets at frequent intervals. Unable to turn strike and convert starts into useful partnerships continued to put them under pressure during the innings. One of the turning points was when Shakeel was run out after cautiously making 16 out of 13 balls, which weakened Quetta even more.
Zalmi bowling unit was still well-organized and focused and Sufiyan Muqeem was again the star player. His regular wicket-taking prowess has been a key ingredient in the good stand of Zalmi this season. The disciplined attack restricted Quetta Gladiators to a below-par total of 154 all out in 20 overs.
