SHARJAH - West Indies international Darren Sammy delivered a calculated final over as Peshawar Zalmi survived a whirlwind Ravi Bopara knock to beat Karachi Kings by three runs in a tense finish Thursday.
Bopara smashed 67 of 32 balls in an innings that included five 4s four 6s to help revive his team after they slumped to 48-5 in 8.5 overs. Bopara was accompanied by Sohail Tanvir (23) to establish a crucial 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket.
Earlier, James Vince (44) had laid the foundation for Kings to chase the 183 set by Zalmi. None of the other Kings batsmen succeeded in putting up an impressive show. Zalmi players kept it tight on the field and grabbed three sharp opportunities to run out Nauman Anwar, Imad Wasim and Usama Mir.
In their 183-run chase, Karachi were five down for just 48 runs when Bopara walked in. He hit 67 off 33 runs to take his team closer to the target with only 13 needed in the last over. He hit a six but was caught at long-on with five needed off three balls.
The tail-enders were not able to push the team past the finishing line afterwards.
Earlier, Peshawar set a daunting 183-run target for Karachi after winning the toss and batting first. M Hafeez scored 59 off 35 balls courtesy seven boundaries and three sixes. Tamim Iqbal (37) and Kamran Akmal (30) also contributed to the 178-4 total.
Bopara was the pick of the bowlers for Karachi with two scalps. He gave 31 runs in his full quota of four overs. Sohail Tanvir and M Aamir bagged one wicket each as well.
Coolest player of the match award was given to Darren Sammy. "It was a choice between me and the left-arm spinner and I told the skipper to give it to me," Darren Sammy says. "This pitch is much better than the one in Dubai, you see the competitive nature between the batsmen and the bowlers."
Hafeez was the man of the match: “The start Tamim is giving me gives me a lot of confidence. Everyone has a target to play for the team and individually he wants to be the best player for the team.”
Karachi captain Shoaib Malik said: “Yes only a step away. I have no words to describe Ravi Bopara’s innings. Our batting hasn’t been able to deliver. We lack a third pacer. We will bring maybe a third pacer in the next match.”
Zalmi captain Shahid Afridi said: “I think such cricket should be played. I pray that PSL is blessed. Everyone was supporting his own team from the stands. The start was good, Tamim and Hafeez opened well. Ravi played a great innings. I was not confident, even Hafeez was not confident while giving the ball to Sammy for the last over but Darren was himself very confident that he can do it. So we gave him the ball and he delivered.”

Scoreboard

PESHAWAR ZALMI:
Tamim Iqbal c Simmons b Bopara 37
Hafeez lbw b Bopara 59
Kamran Akmal c Vince b Aamir 30
DJ Malan c Imad b Sohail Tanvir 12
Shahid Afridi not out 17
DJG Sammy not out 18
EXTRAS: (lb 4, w 4, nb 1) 9
TOTAL: (4 wickets; 20 overs) 182
FOW: 1-93, 2-108, 3-143, 4-153
BOWLING: M Aamir 4-0-24-1, Imad Wasim 2-0-28-0, Sohail Tanvir 4-0-38-1, Shakib Al Hasan 2-0-26-0, Usama Mir 4-0-31-0, RS Bopara 4-0-31-2.
KARACHI KINGS:
LMP Simmons b Wahab Riaz 9
Nauman Anwar run out 14
JM Vince b Tait 44
Imad Wasim run out 0
Shoaib Malik c Sammy b Asghar 8
Shakib c Asghar b Afridi 1
RS Bopara c Yousuf b Sammy 67
Sohail Tanvir b Wahab Riaz 23
Usama Mir run out 1
Saifullah Bangash not out 0
M Aamir not out 0
EXTRAS: (lb 3, w 7, nb 2) 12
TOTAL: (9 wickets; 20 overs) 179
FOW: 1-26, 2-27, 3-28, 4-46, 5-48, 6-109, 7-170, 8-178, 9-179
BOWLING: Aamer Yamin 4-0-33-0, SW Tait 4-0-45-1, Wahab Riaz 4-0-29-2, M Asghar 3-0-24-1, Shahid Afridi 4-0-36-1, DJG Sammy 1-0-9-1
TOSS: Peshawar Zalmi
UMPIRES: Rashid Riaz, Shozab Raza
TV UMPIRE: Aleem Dar (Pakistan)
MATCH REFEREE: M Anees (Pakistan)
RESERVE UMPIRE: Khalid Mahmood

PSL Point Table

Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts
Gladiators 5 4 1 0 0 8
Zalmi 4 3 1 0 0 6
United 5 2 3 0 0 4
Kings 4 1 3 0 0 2
Qalandars 4 1 3 0 0 2