Peshawar Zalmi Clinch Thrilling Victory Against Multan Sultans

In a nail-biting encounter, Peshawar Zalmi emerged victorious against Multan Sultans by a slender margin of five runs, thrilling the crowd at Multan Cricket Stadium. Luke Wood, the player of the match, showcased a stellar all-round performance, contributing with both bat and ball to secure a memorable win for Zalmi. Meanwhile, Multan Sultans suffered their first defeat of the tournament after winning their initial three matches.

Match Summary: Peshawar Zalmi, opting to bat first, posted a competitive total of 179-8 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to valuable contributions from Haseebullah Khan, Babar Azam, and Rovman Powell. In response, Multan Sultans launched a spirited chase but fell short by just five runs, finishing at 174 all out in a tense finish.

Key Performances:

• Luke Wood (Peshawar Zalmi): Wood delivered a stellar performance, picking up crucial wickets with the ball, and contributing a valuable unbeaten 17 runs with the bat in the death overs.
• Dawid Malan (Multan Sultans): Malan’s composed innings of 52 runs provided stability to the Sultans’ batting lineup and kept them in the hunt during the chase.

Turning Point:

• The penultimate over bowled by Luke Wood, where he dismissed Abbas Afridi and conceded only two runs, proved to be a game-changer, swinging the momentum in Peshawar Zalmi’s favor.

Dramatic Finish:

• With 22 runs required off the final over, Iftikhar Ahmed momentarily kept Multan’s hopes alive with a couple of boundaries. However, his dismissal off the penultimate delivery sealed the fate of the match in favor of Peshawar Zalmi.

Outstanding Bowling:

• Arif Yaqoob was the standout bowler for Peshawar Zalmi, claiming three crucial wickets to derail Multan Sultans’ chase.
• Usama Mir and Salman Irshad also made significant contributions with the ball, picking up two wickets each to dent the Sultans’ batting lineup.

Conclusion: Peshawar Zalmi’s thrilling victory showcased their resilience and determination, while Multan Sultans fought hard but fell short in the end. Luke Wood’s all-round brilliance proved to be the difference between the two sides, earning him the player of the match award.

Next Fixture: The excitement continues with Karachi Kings taking on Lahore Qalandars in what promises to be another thrilling encounter at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.