Peshawar Zalmi has been penalized for maintaining a slow over-rate during their two-run victory over Karachi Kings in their first clash of the ongoing Pakistan Super League at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi on Tuesday.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in a statement on Wednesday, said: “Peshawar Zalmi were ruled to be one over short of their target by match referee Ali Naqvi, who took into consideration time allowances before arriving at the decision.
“As such, and in accordance with Article 2.22 of the HBL PSL Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, each player was fined 10 percent of his match fee.”
The Yellow Storm, led by Babar Azam, managed to beat Karachi by a close margin of two runs after a nail-biting contest.
Put to bat first, Peshawar posted a massive 199 runs on the scoreboard before restricting the home side to 197-5 in 20 overs, thanks to Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s magnificent 92-run knock and brilliant bowling display by the bowlers.
In reply to the total, after losing four wickets inside seven overs, skipper Imad Wasim (80*) and Shoaib Malik (52) shined to put on a 139-run partnership as Karachi made a comeback. But it wasn’t enough to win the game.
However, Khurram Shahzad rose to the occasion and repaid his captain Babar’s trust by bowling a magnificent last over to defend 16 runs and win the game for his side.
In the last over, needing 16 off six balls, Khurram started off with a good wide yorker, giving away one run.
The second ball was also an almost perfect yorker, which also cost a run.
Khurram bowled a no-ball on the third delivery but delivered a good one on the free hit. The right-arm bowler held his composure to bowl the next two deliveries in good areas to defend the total and not let Imad and Ben Cutting reach the total.
- The second ball was also an almost perfect yorker, which also cost a run.