Zalmi beat United by 7 wickets in rain-hit match

RAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi beat Islamabad United by seven runs on Duckworth-lewis-stern method on Saturday.

Zalmi were 85 for two in nine overs – seven runs ahead of the par score – in their chase of 196 when rain brought the match to a halt at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.

United put an impressive 195 for five as Colin Munro and Shadab Khan scored half-centuries. The pair crafted a 67-run partnership after Luke Ronchi (six) and Rizwan Hussain (five) were dismissed by Rahat Ali ( one for 41) and Hasan Ali (two for 36).

Both batsmen registered their third fifties of the season.

Munro made 52 off 35, in which he hit four fours and two sixes, while Shadab smashed five fours and four sixes in his 42-ball 77. Shadab was later named man of the match.

Colin Ingram was the other notable performer with the bat as he made 41 runs from 25 balls. Peshawar Zalmi were given a flying start by Kamran Akmal. The wicketkeeperbatsman made a 21-ball 37, in which he struck four fours and a six.

Tom Banton and Haider Ali were batting at 20 off 16 and 16 off eight when the players were forced to walk off the ground due to rain.

Meanwhile, Brathwaite will stay with Peshawar Zalmi for the complete duration of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 after Kieron Pollard was ruled out of the tournament due to a niggle in his right thigh.

Pollard, who was expected to join the Zalmi squad after the conclusion of West Indies tour of Sri Lanka, is experiencing occasional tightness at his right rectus femoris quad muscle because of an injury sustained earlier. Braithwaite was originally called-up as a cover for Pollard till March 6.

Pollard said: “With a heavy heart I wish my teammates at Peshawar Zalmi all the best for the remainder of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020.

“I’m sorry I can’t be there in person this year but the team has some inspirational characters leading the charge and I’m sure can give Daren [ Sammy] his first trophy as a head coach.”

Pollard had turned out in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions of the HBL PSL. In 33 HBL PSL matches, the West Indian scored 650 runs, which include three half-centuries, at a strike-rate of 166.24.