In an exciting first eliminator clash between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2022, the Islamabad side showed nerves of steel and stole away a win to stay alive in the competition and make a place for themselves in the second eliminator.
Chasing a target of 170 in 20 overs, the United side rode on a fine piece of batting from Alex Hales first and then Azam Khan who chipped in with crucial runs. Hales scored 62 off 49 while Azam struck a 22-ball 28.
The United team needed 10 off the final over with Azam on strike and Howell with the ball in his hands. The bowler trapped Khan in front of the stumps on the very first delivery bringing down the equation to 10 required off 5 deliveries.
Liam Dawson then walked out to bat in the middle and he finished off the game in style hitting a maximum on the second ball and following it with a boundary on the third of the over. Islamabad United won by 5 wickets and three balls to spare.
Salman Irshad was the pick of the bowlers for Zalmi as he troubled the batters with his Yorkers and scalped three wickets for 31 runs in 4 overs.
Earlier, in the day, Kamran Akmal and Shoaib Malik showed their experience and notched up individual fifties to help the side put 169/5 on the board in 20 overs. Hasan Ali bagged a three-for for 30 runs in 4 overs.
“We didn't bowl according to the plan and also sloppy in the field. The total was defendable,” Wahab said after the match.
Islamabad will now play Lahore Qalandars in the second eliminator on Friday in Lahore and the winner of this game will lock horns with Multan Sultans in the final at the same venue on Sunday.