PSL 2025, Match 2 Review: Quetta Gladiators' all-round performance lead them to 80-run triumph over Peshawar Zalmi
Abrar Ahmed earned the Player of the Match award for his brilliant spell of 4/42.
Quetta Gladiators delivered an impressive performance in their opening match of PSL 2025, defeating Peshawar Zalmi by 80 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday. After being asked to bat first, the Gladiators got a solid start to their innings, thanks to their openers.
Skipper Saud Shakeel and Finn Allen started smashing the bowl from the first ball, stitching an 88-run stand for the first wicket in just 6.6 overs. Allen hit 53 off just 25 balls with five fours and four sixes. In the seventh over, he tore into Zalmi's Sufiyan Muqeem for three sixes and a four before finally falling to the same bowler.
Shakeel carried on the momentum, registering a 59 off 42 deliveries. Hasan Nawaz added 41 (32) through the middle overs, ensuring the scorecard kept ticking. Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis accumulated 58 runs off the final 23 balls, with Mendis contributing an unbeaten 35 off just 14 balls, taking the total to 216/3 in their allotted 20 overs. For Zalmi, Ali Raza, Muqeem, and Alzarri Joseph picked up a wicket each.
In reply, Zalmi's chase began with their skipper Babar Azam falling for a duck in the opening over to Mohammad Amir. Although Saim Ayub, returning to the side, scored a 50 off 38 balls, the rest of the batting lineup collapsed under pressure.
Abrar Ahmed turned the game in Quetta's favour. Introduced early, he removed Mohammad Haris and Tom Kohler-Cadmore in the same over. The Peshawar-based side lost 6 wickets for just 24 runs, and despite a brief cameo from Mitchell Owen (31 off 13), the target looked far-fetched. Abrar finished with figures of 4 for 42, dismantling the opposition's middle and lower order. Usman Tariq and Amir chipped in with two wickets each as Peshawar were bundled out for 136 in just 15.1 overs.
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