Karachi Kings v Peshawar Zalmi 3rd playoff - Statistical Highlights

After losing three consecutive qualifying matches for the finals across two seasons, Peshawar Zalmi locked horns with Karachi Kings in the Qualifying final 3 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2017 for a chance to travel to Lahore and play in front of the thousands of cricket-thirsty Pakistanis. A sold-out crowd welcomed the teams as Kumar Sangakkara invited Peshawar Zalmi to bat first after winning the toss.

Peshawar made most of it and replied with a 97-run opening stand, followed by a 77-run stand for the second wicket. Dawid Malan and Marlon Samuels both scored 36 and 37 respectively but it was Kamran Akmal who stole the show with his magical cover drives and flicks for maximum. He scored his second T20 hundred off just 60 balls and helped Zalmi post a total of 181/3.

Karachi Kings were dented regularly in the early overs by Peshawar Zalmi bowlers who once reduced them for 35/4 in 8.2 overs at one stage before Gayle-storm hit Dubai. He and Kieron Pollard took Karachi to 80 but a brilliant yorker cost Gayle his wicket. Pollard continued on with Gayle’s merry ways with the help from Imad Wasim but Peshawar bowlers made sure they saved too much for Karachi Kings to chase in the death overs. Peshawar won by 24 runs. Kamran Akmal was adjudged the Man of the Match.

Here are some of the statistical highlights from the game:

100 – Kumar Sangakkara became the first Sri Lankan and 4th player overall to captain the team in 100 T20 matches. Others are: MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir and Darren Sammy.

4000 – Kamran Akmal became the 6th Pakistani (including Azhar Mahmood) and 49th overall to score 4000 runs in Twenty-20 cricket.

1 – Kamran Akmal is the only Pakistani wicketkeeper- batsman to score as many runs in the format.

3 – Number of wicketkeepers that have scored 4000 runs in the shortest format. MS Dhoni leads the run-scoring chart with 4759 runs as a designated wicketkeeper in T20s.

1 – Only three Pakistani wicketkeepers that have scored a hundred in T20s; Kamran is the only one to repeat the feat twice.

19 – Number of wicketkeepers that have scored a 100 in T20s, only three of them have repeated it more than once. Adam Gilchrist (Australia) and Quinton de Kock (South Africa) have done it thrice while Kamran Akmal (Pakistan) twice.

2 – Number of batsmen that have scored a century in Pakistan Super League. Sharjeel Khan scored one in the 2016 edition.

3rd Fastest – Kamran Akmal’s century off 60 balls is the third fastest by a Pakistani wicketkeeper. The second fastest T20 century by a Pakistani keeper was also scored by Kamran off 53 balls. The fastest century has been scored by Moin Khan but unfortunate, y the balls taken to reach the landmark were not recorded. However, it is estimated that his century came in balls less than 50.

313 – Kamran Akmal is now the leading run-scorer of Pakistan Super League 2017 with 313 runs, followed by Babar Azam.

17 – Number of ducks scored by Shahid Afridi in Twenty20 cricket; second most by a Pakistani batsman. Umar Akmal leads the world list with 24 ducks, jointly with Dwayne Smith.

Rare duck – Shoaib Malik was out for a duck in Karachi Kings’ run chase, a rarity in his career of 267 T20s. His innings-per-ducks ratio of 36 is the third highest overall in the format.

150 – Number of wickets taken by Wahab Riaz in Twenty20 cricket. He is now 8th Pakistani (including Azhar Mahmood) and 45th bowler overall to take as many wickets.