Twitter Reactions: Rashid Khan and Tim David bail Lahore Qalandars out to beat Peshawar Zalmi

Lahore Qalandars strengthened their position at the top of the points table in PSL 2021 with their fifth win in six matches. On Thursday, June 10, the Sohail Akhtar-led team beat the Peshawar Zalmi by 10 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. As far as the Zalmi are concerned, they slipped down to the fourth position after losing their third match in the ongoing edition of the tournament.

David plays a blinder

The Qalandars, after being put in to bat first, found themselves in all sorts of trouble as they were reduced to 25 for four in 7.3 overs. Fakhar Zaman, skipper Sohail, Muhammad Faizan, and Mohammad Hafeez went back to the hut without crossing the double digits. However, from there on, Tim David and Ben Dunk’s 71-run partnership off 8.2 overs resurrected the innings for Lahore.

Though the Qalandars weren’t completely out of jail, their stand had set a platform for a final flourish. Fabian Allen separated them, getting rid of Dunk, who got a 33-ball 48 with two fours and three sixes. However, David went on to stay unbeaten on 64 off 36, taking his team to 170. His knock was laced with three fours and five sixes. James Faulkner’s seven-ball 22 also helped their cause.

Malik’s knock goes in vain

In the run-chase, the Zalmi got off to a poor start as Faulkner got rid of both the openers- Kamran Akmal and Haider Ali– in the second over. Thereafter, the focus was mostly on Rashid Khan and Shoaib Malik. Even as the latter held the innings together for the Zalmi, the young Afghanistan leg-spinner kept making one breakthrough after the other. Malik got to his half-century off 34 balls.

Rashid ripped through the Zalmi batting as he picked up a five-wicket haul, conceding only 20 runs and also bowling a double-wicket maiden in the 12th over. Malik stayed unbeaten on 73 off 48 with seven fours and four sixes, but he couldn’t take his team home. Umaid Asif smashed three sixes to an unbeaten 12-ball 23 and mitigated the damage as the Zalmi finished their innings on 160 for eight.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to Lahore Qalandars’ win: