RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, (CMC) – West Indies Men’s captain Rovman Powell helped to inject late impetus into the Peshawar Zalmi batting and set up a four-wicket win against Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League Twenty20 on Tuesday.

The Jamaican cracked a useful 23 not out from 15 balls after the Zalmi innings lost momentum following a blistering start from openers Saim Ayub and Babar Azam, and they reached 204 for five after choosing to bat in the match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

In reply, Sultans started off slowly and did not appear likely to get close to the target, but Iftikhar Ahmed had other plans and smashed four fours and five sixes in the top score of 60 not out off 27 balls to give a massive scare to Zalmi.

Barbados-born England all-rounder, Chris Jordan, made a quickfire 30 off 12 balls, and he shared an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 75 with Iftikhar that almost snatched the match from Zalmi, but Salman Irshad held his nerve in the final over of a match in which bowlers were punished and Sultans failed to get the 22 they required to complete a stunning run chase.

The result meant Zalmi clinched their fourth win in eight matches in the tournament, and they are third on nine points, while Sultans slipped to their second defeat, but they remain on top of the standings with 12 points from eight matches.
Ayub made 46 off 22 balls and helped propel Zalmi to 71 without loss at the close of the Power Play with Babar before he was lbw to leg-spinner, Usama Mir, in the seventh over.

Zalmi were 84 for one, and they reached 100 for two at the halfway stage after English wicketkeeper-batsman, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, was caught at deep mid-wicket off Usama in the 10th over.

Babar hit the top score of 64 off 40 balls that included seven fours and two sixes, and he dominated a third wicket stand of 51 with Haseebullah Khan before Usama bowled him in the 15th over, bringing Powell to the wicket to guide the rest of the Zalmi innings.

Usama was the pick of the Sultans’ bowlers taking three for 32 from four overs, and Jordan supported with two for 33 from his allotted four overs with his medium-fast bowling.

Sultans laboured to 40 for one at the close of the Power Play after South Africa international, Reeza Hendricks, was caught and bowled Mehran Mumtaz for five in the fifth over, and they were 73 for two at the halfway stage after their captain, Mohammad Rizwan, was run out for 32 in the eighth over.

The wickets of England international, Dawid Malan, for 19, and Tayyab Tahir for 26 in the space of five balls to Aamer Jamal had Sultans wobbling on 91 for four in the 12th over, and they entered the final overs requiring 81.

Naveen-ul-Haq added to the drama when he got Khushdil Shah caught behind for 11 in the 16th over, paving the way for the onslaught from Iftikhar and Jordan that eventually fell short.