Brilliant Kamran restores Peshawar’s pride

Khalid H. Khan Published February 23, 2020

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi wicket-keeper/batsman Kamran Akmal plays a shot as Quetta Gladiators skipper Sarfraz Ahmed looks on during the Pakistan Super League match at the National Stadium on Saturday.—Tahir Jamal/White Star

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi restored parity in the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 as they rode on back of a fantastic Kamran Akmal century to nail reigning champions Quetta Gladiators at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Their pride was definitely hurt when Karachi Kings upstaged them just 24 hours earlier on Friday. But the way Peshawar regrouped provided another example of their resilience and uncanny ability to recover.

Judging by the PSL history, this was supposed to be a fierce battle between the great rivals. Quetta had gone into the match with eight wins under their belt from previous 14 fixtures and were looking forward to extending that record.

But Peshawar were determined not to allow the champions to get on top this time. Darren Sammy won a good toss on a track that encouraged shot-making. It was credit to the excellence of their bowling which limited Quetta to a modest 148-5.

Akmal Sr’s blazing hundred sinks Gladiators in key clash as Zalmi triumph

Foremost in that department were the pace bowlers. Pakistan Under-19 representative Mohammad Amir Khan shone brightly on his PSL debut and together with the experienced Wahab Riaz and Hasan Ali played a lead role in strangulating the opposing batsmen. Between them the trio conceded just 67 in 12 overs.

Kamran then came out guns blazing and his intent was very clear when spinner Mohammad Nawaz was hoisted for 21 runs in the first over. The wicket-keeper/batsman never looked back and kept freeing his arms while finding the gaps with consummate ease and precision.

The 38-year-old right-hander from Lahore had already thrashed eight boundaries and three sixes in a 50 off mere 20 balls out of the team tally of 57-1 — reaching the landmark with a boundary off fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain — after Tom Banton once again didn’t get going. The highly-rated England right-hander fell as an attempted pull against Tymal Mills was very well poached by Quetta captain Sarfraz Ahmed who had to sprint some distance and then changed his direction to complete the dismissal.

Haider Ali, another new kid on the block who figured in the recent Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, put up a sound show during the 80-run partnership in 60 balls with Kamran until Sarfraz took a top-edged catch to send the right-hander on his way for a 25-ball 28.

And although Kamran slowed down a bit but his reaching the three-figure milestone was never in doubt. And when it finally came off 54 deliveries — via the paddle sweep for a brace off spinner Fawad Ahmed — he had completed a hat-trick of tons in all PSL editions before perishing on the next delivery after punctuating his unforgettable innings with 13 fours and four sixes.

Kamran’s other two 100-plus scores are against Karachi Kings (104 at Dubai in 2017) and an unbeaten 107 versus Lahore Qalandars during the 2018 game at Sharjah. The only other centuries in PSL have been made by Sharjeel Khan in the inaugural tournament in 2016, the South Africa pair of Colin Ingram and Cameron Delport last year.

Man of the Match Kamran later underplayed his stupendous knock during the post-match presser. “The pitch was excellent to bat on and credit to our bowling did very well to curtail them [Quetta] because they would easily gone on to post 180 or even 200,” said Kamran — the leading run-scorer in the PSL with 1,430 runs in 49 matches. “I did enjoy my innings today but for me winning is more important than thinking about individual efforts. Yes, I’m grateful to Almighty Allah for being very kind to me.”

Earlier, Quetta innings simply got bogged down. And even the proactive Jason Roy — one of the stars fir England during their triumphant 50-over World Cup campaign last year — was finding it extremely tough to break the shackles on a blustery afternoon.

The normally swashbuckling South African-born opener batted through the innings with a modest strike-rate of 128.07 to compile 73 with his 57-ball effort laced with six boundaries. Sarfraz Ahmed was more proactive in the 62-run stand for the third wicket with Roy. The skipper scored 41 off only 25 balls (five fours and one six) while maintain a strike-rate of 164.

Fawad gave a valid explanation of Roy’s struggles. “One think we must keep in mind are contrasting conditions players have to counter. In view both Jason and Shane Watson will take time to settle down. To expect big runs from them is a bit unfair because we have only started the tournament three days ago. Adjusting to conditions does matter even for the best of the best lot since you require time to get a good feel [of the conditions].

“So we shouldn’t worry much, although it would have been to very nice to make it two [victories] out of two but all credit to Kamran the way he batted. We didn’t bowl that badly in my view but Kamran was just sensational and played, perhaps, one of the best innings of any format that I have seen,” the adopted Australian, who was born in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, remarked.

Saturday also marked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) observing the Childhood Cancer Awareness Day with the stakeholders all sporting the golden ribbons.

Scoreboard

QUETTA GLADIATORS

Batsmen & mode dismissals R B 4s 6s SR

J.J. Roy not out 73 57 6 1 128.07

S.R. Watson c Hasan b Wahab 8 10 1 0 55.55

Ahmed Shehzad c Banton b Amir 12 12 0 1 100.00

Sarfraz Ahmed c Banton b Sammy 41 25 5 1 164.00

Azam Khan b Wahab 5 9 0 0 80.00

Mohammad Nawaz c Kamran b Rahat 2 4 0 0 50.00

Sohail Khan not out 2 3 0 0 66.66

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-2) 5 - - - -

TOTAL (for five wkts, 20 overs) 148 - - - -