Fiery Tamim powers Zalmi
Swashbuckling Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal produced his best innings so far in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), smashing a flawless unbeaten 80 as Peshawar Zalmi beat Islamabad United by seven wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. In the process he became the PSL's highest scorer with 237 runs at an average of 75.
After Peshawar skipper Shahid Afridi chose to field, a disciplined and incisive bowling display kept Islamabad to 153 for six.
In the chase, Tamim took on the responsibility of lifting the momentum and guiding his team home after the dismissal of Mohammad Hafeez. He reserved special punishment for the spinners in his 58-ball innings studded with six fours and three sixes, hitting the shot of the day when he stepped down to Saeed Ajmal and hit an inside-out cover drive that went racing to the cover boundary. In Ajmal's next over he repeated the shot for six and followed it up with another maximum over the bowler's head. He reached his 50 off 37 balls and by then had swung the momentum decisively in Peshawar's favour, before Shahid Yousuf played a supporting role to take them home with nine balls to spare.
Earlier yesterday, Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim made his PSL debut for Karachi Kings, who rode on a spectacular all-round display from Ravi Bopara to crush Lahore Qalandars by 27 runs.
Mushfiqur came in to bat in the 19th over, and scored an unbeaten 10 off seven balls with one boundary. Later he also effected a stumping and took a catch. His Bangladesh and Karachi teammate Shakib Al Hasan, however, did not enjoy a good outing as he was out for nine and not given the ball during Karachi's defence of 178. The spotlight belonged to Bopara as he hit a stunning 43-ball 71 before backing it up with an astonishing spell of six for 16 in four overs.
SCORES IN BRIEF
ISLAMABAD UNITED: 152 for 6 (Latif 59, Misbah 32; Wahab 2-24)
PESHAWAR ZALMI: 153 for 3 in 18.3 overs (Tamim 80 not out, Yousuf 27 not out, Hafeez 25)
Result: Peshawar Zalmi won by 7 wickets.
KARACHI KINGS: 178 for 5 (Bopara 71 not out, Nauman 35; Gohar 2-26)
LAHORE QALANDARS: 151 for 8 (Delport 55, Gayle 37; Bopara 6-16)
Result: Karachi Kings won by 27 runs
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