Powell, Pollard taste defeat in PSL
WEST INDIES Twenty20 captain Rovman Powell sparkled, albeit very briefly, as his Peshawar Zalmi tasted defeat with a 16-run loss to Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) yesterday.
In pursuit of 207 for victory at Gaddafi Stadium, the Darren Sammy-coached Zalmi fell short at 190 for six off their 20 overs, with captain Babar Azam lashing 68 off 42 deliveries and opening partner Saim Ayub hitting a 26-ball 42.
Powell, batting at number five, blasted a four and a six in a nineball 17 before edging behind off new-ball seamer Mohammad Amir in the penultimate over, after putting on 31 for the fifth wicket with Dan Mousley (11).
Babar, who struck four fours and four sixes, posted 91 off 52 balls for the first wicket with Saim, who counted two fours and three sixes.
Earlier, Gladiators marched to 206 for five off their 20 overs after being sent in, Jason Roy top-scoring with 75 off 48 balls and Saud Shakeel belting 74 off 47 deliveries, the pair putting on 157 for the first wicket.
West Indies left-hander Sherfane Rutherford made a 13-ball 20 before being caught at short fine leg off seamer Salman Irshad (3-38) in the final over.
In Multan in the east, former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard was unable to rescue Karachi Kings as they slumped to a 55-run defeat to Multan Sultans in the third game of the newly minted tournament.
Sent in, the home side rattled up 185 for two off their 20 overs, with Reeza Hendricks top-scoring with 79 not out off 54 balls, in a 117-run, second-wicket partnership with David Malan (52).
Hendricks thumped seven fours and three sixes, going on to add a further 47 for the third wicket with Khushdil Shah (28 not out).
In reply, Kings slipped to 10 for two in the third over after seamer David Willey (2-22) struck in successive deliveries before Shoaib Malik (53) and Shan Masood (30) propped up the innings in a 52-run, third-wicket stand.
Shoaib, who struck five fours and two sixes, put on a further 37 for the fourth wicket with Mohammad Nawaz (7) before Kings lost five wickets for 14 runs in the space of 23 balls, to watch their run chase dissipate. Pollard, entering at number six, struck an unbeaten 28 off 29 balls with four fours and a six, but never really threatened.