Published: Feb 28, 2017, 08:30 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 01, 2017, 01:37 AM (IST)
Good evening! Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog session of the first Qualifying Final of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2017, between table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah on Tuesday. We at Cricket Country will be bringing to you the live cricket updates from this fixture for the evening. PSL 2017 has reached the business end of the tournament. Top four teams will battle it out to find their spot in the final that has been finalised to be held at Lahore.
Last year both teams were involved in a thrilling first qualifier at the same stage. But it was Gladiators who emerged victorious by a run. As per the head-to-head record, out five matches it stands at 2-2 with one game washed out. All games have seen intense competition from both ends. However, Zalmi will want this more as they will want to fulfil Shahid Afridi’s wish of playing his farewell match at Lahore. Zalmi have seen their top-order fire in every game with their opening batsmen consisting of Tamim Iqbal and Mohammad Hafeez along with middle-order comprising of Kamran Akmal, Shakib Al Hasan and Afridi.
As for the bowling, Hasan Ali has been the spearhead. He ended with figures of 1 for 13 in the qualifiers clash last season against Gladiators. Afridi expresses desire to play farewell match in Lahore
On the other hand, Gladiators have a batting-unit much stronger than Zalmi that comprises of Rilee Rossouw along with Kevin Pietersen who have been the run-getters in the tournament. The middle-order gets better with the inclusion of Sarfraz Ahmed, Ahmed Shahzad and Asad Shafiq.
As for the bowling unit, although there are players like Mahmudullah and Hasan Khan who have been their best bowlers, the focus will be on IPL’s big buy Tymal Mills.
Zalmi will not want to repeat the same mistakes of last year. Their inspiration will be the successful run they have had this season that earned them the top slot in the points table.
Squads:
Peshawar Zalmi: Tamim Iqbal, Kamran Akmal (wk), Marlon Samuels, Mohammad Hafeez, Shakib Al Hasan, Sohaib Maqsood, Darren Sammy (c), Shahid Afridi, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Asghar, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Andre Fletcher, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imran Khan jnr, Chris Jordan, Junaid Khan, Khushdil Shah, Samit Patel, Dawid Malan
Quetta Gladiators: Asad Shafiq, Ahmed Shehzad, Kevin Pietersen, Rilee Rossouw, Mohammad Nawaz, Sarfraz Ahmed (c&wk), Mahmudullah, Hasan Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Umar Gul, Tymal Mills, Anwar Ali, Bismillah Khan, Nathan McCullum, Mir Hamza, Luke Wright, Thisara Perera, Noor Wali, Saad Nasim, Umar Amin
