Morgan’s 80 sealed a win for Zalmis over Kings

The  innings of 80 in only 57 balls by Eoin Morgan took Peshawar Zalmi to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Karachi Kings in the third match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2017 played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Morgan took the center stage in Zalmi’s 119 run chase after his team had lost two early wickets. He added 46 with Dawid Malan and 71 runs in an undefeated partnership with Haris Sohail who scored 13.

Morgan’s innings spurred his team to victory, he hit three sixes and eight fours in his innings that was played with a real degree of authority, the Englishman was later adjudged man-of-the-match.

Batting first, Shoaib Malik’s 44 run innings was the mainstay for the Karachi Kings as their star-studded line-up failed to fire against some penetrative bowling by the Zalmi bowlers after Daren Sammy won the toss and put the opposition in.

The Kings got off to a disastrous start as the first four wickets fell with only 12 runs on the board. Mohammad Hafeez accounted for both openers Shahzaib Hasan and Chris Gayle while a stunning catch by Daren Sammy sent Babar Azam back to the dugout.

Malik and Ravi Bopara added 83 runs for the fifth wicket; Bopara scored a dogged 33 off 40 balls, the Kings were propelled to their eventual score by a breezy 14 ball 27 by Kieron Pollard who was making his debut for the franchise, the big-hitter struck two sixes and as many fours in his innings.

Wahab Riaz took two wickets for Zalmi in his first match of the tournament.