Cricket: Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi in last-ball thriller

Dwayne Smith playing a shot.

There was none of the run fest that preceded this fixture with it being another one of those low-scoring affairs.
But then, there was plenty of drama before defending champions Islamabad United breasted the tape, off the final ball of the match, to overtake Peshawar Zalmi and go second on the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) table.
Misbah-ul-Haq's men were kept in check right through before they nudged a thrilling five-wicket victory with over Peshawar Zalmi at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, late on Saturday night.
With the scores tied and one needed off one ball after Australian Shane Watson was run out for 30, Amad Butt scored the winning run past a field that had closed in.
And they owed it to the Dwayne Smith, who has been a thorn in the flesh more often than not. The burly West Indian mixed caution with the right amount of aggression to conjure an unbeaten 72 from 59 deliveries, with the help of six boundaries and four sixes.
Earlier, as has been the trend, the toss winner has asked the opposition to have a first go, and Islamabad United captain Misbah-ul-Haq didn't buck that trend.
And it was a bit of a stop-start dig by the Peshawar Zalmis as they mustered a score, which was perhaps under par for the course.
There were contributions but not substantial enough as the eked out 136 for nine in their allotment. The top score, if one may say so, was a run-a-ball 28 from England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
The next was bowler Wahab Riaz, who swished his willow around for 23, while captain Darren Sammy chalked up 20.
Shahid Afridi showed glimpses of old with a couple of sumptuous hits, two successive sixes off old warhorse Mohammad Sami in the 16th over.
He flicked one off his pads over the deep backward square leg fence, the follow through, true Afridi style, as Misbah went into pondering mode.
Next up, Afridi coshed it over midwicket and there were a few creases on Misbah's forehead. But luckily for Misbah, what had promised so much for the Zalmis ended after Afridi's edge from the toe of the bat was gobbled at long off by Rumman Raees, with Sami getting his revenge.
The 35-year-old Sami, who is making a second coming of sorts, ended the night with three wickets for 26 from his four overs, while medium pacer Raees and young leg spinner Shadab Khan had two wickets apiece.
james@khaleejtimes.com
 
Peshawar Zalmi
Tamim c Misbah-ul-Haq b Rumman Raees 4
Kamran lbw b Shadab Khan 19
Hafeez c Misbah-ul-Haq b Mohammad Irfan 10
Morgan c Mohammad Irfan b Shadab Khan 28
Maqsood c & b Mohammad Sami 0
Shakib c Mohammad Sami b Amad Butt 5
Sammy c Mohammad Sami b Rumman Raees 20
Afridi c Rumman Raees b Mohammad Sami 17
Riaz b Mohammad Sami 23
Hasan not out 1
Junaid not out 1
Extras (w 8) 8
Total (9 wickets; 20 overs) 136
Fall: 1-17 (Tamim Iqbal, 3.2 ov), 2-28 (Mohammad Hafeez, 4.5 ov), 3-45 (Kamran Akmal, 6.6 ov), 4-46 (Sohaib Maqsood, 7.4 ov), 5-66 (Shakib Al Hasan, 10.2 ov), 6-78 (Morgan, 13.3 ov), 7-109 (Sammy, 16.2 ov), 8-134 (Shahid Afridi, 19.1 ov), 9-134 (Wahab Riaz, 19.3 ov)
Bowling: Irfan 4-0-31-1, Sami 4-0-26-3, Raees 4-0-19-2, Shadab 4-0-26-2, Watson 2-0-25-0, Butt 2-0-9-1.
Islamabad United
Smith not out 72
Rafatullah c Kamran b Junaid 11
Haddin lbw b Hasan 2
Billings b Riaz 11
Misbah c Riaz b Shakib 5
Watson run out 30
Butt not out 1
Extras (w 3, nb 2) 5
Total (5 wickets; 20 overs) 137
To bat: Shadab, Sami, Irfan, Raees
Fall: 1-12 (Rafatullah Mohmand, 1.5 ov), 2-15 (Haddin, 2.6 ov), 3-45 (Billings, 8.4 ov), 4-73 (Misbah-ul-Haq, 12.5 ov), 5-136 (Watson, 19.5 ov)
Bowling: Hasan 4-0-17-1, Junaid 4-0-49-1, Shakib 4-0-24-1, Riaz 4-0-21-1, Afridi 4-0-26-0.