Peshawar and Quetta perhaps played one of the best games in the history of T20 cricket for a while now. The match saw over 480 runs scored for the loss of 4 wickets as an improbable target of 241 was being chased down. The high scoring game had the fans who had thronged the stadium at Rawalpindi shocked. The home team Peshawar couldn’t even defend a score which is considered as definitely winnable in T20 cricket.
The story as it happened –
Peshawar captain Babar Azam won the toss and chose to bat first. At the start of the game, Peshawar were placed at 4th in the table, while Quetta and Karachi had 4 points each. A win for Quetta would give them an outside chance of making it to the top 4 with still one game in hand.
Simon Doull has a go at Babar Azam on live TV –
Former New Zealand bowler turned commentator, Simon Doull is known for his no-nonsense comments. Babar Azam was on 99 when he played out a dot ball from Naseem Shah. This really angered Doull who had a go at the Pakistani and Peshawar captain.
Doull could be heard on TV saying “rather than putting the team 1st …. The last little while, that’s all that’s been happening. Rather than looking for boundaries, still, so, much firepower to come. Hundreds are brilliant, stats are great, but it has to be team 1st”
Simon says what Simon seespic.twitter.com/i9wTHVRStY
— Zak (@Zakr1a) March 8, 2023
Peshawar openers power the team ahead –
Saim Ayub and Babar Azam opened the batting as the opening pair added 162 runs for the 1st wicket. The left handed Ayub was in his elements as he scored 74 runs off just 35 balls with 6 fours and 5 sixes. Babar Azam was content to give him support, while scoring runs at his own pace. The 1st wicket stand was broken by Pretorius when he had Ayub caught by Nawaz for 74.
Azam century powers Peshawar to 240 –
Rovman Powell joined Babar Azam and the pair put on 62 runs for the 2 wicket in 34 balls. Azam scored yet another century in T20 format as he fell for 115 off 65 balls being run out by Aimal Khan. Azam’s knock included 11 fours and 3 sixes, as Powell was not out on 35 off 18 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes. Kohler Cadmore scored 7 off 3 with 1 six in his knock.
Jason Roy bulldozes his way to a century as Quetta post an easy win –
Chasing 241 to win, Martim Guptill gave the visiting side a great start scoring 21 off 8 balls with 3 fours and a six. Guptill, fell to Wahab Riaz, as he was caught and bowled to break the first wicket stand of 41 in just 2.5 overs. Will Smeed joined Roy as the pair added 109 runs in 55 balls. Smeed was out for 26 when he fell to Mujeeb caught by Mohammad Haris.
The star of the day was Jason Roy as he scored 145 not out from 63 balls, with a whopping 20 fours and 5 huge sixes. The home team were shocked as Mohammad Hafeez joined Roy and scored 41 off 18 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes as Quetta won the game in the 19th over. Thanks to Roy, the visitors won with 10 balls to spare and 8 wickets in hand. Quetta are 5th in the table with one game left to play and 8 points on the board.