Kamran Akmal’s record breaking 100 leads Zalmi to crushing win

Peshawar Zalmi versus Quetta Gladiators has historically been the fiercest rivalry in PSL cricket, and one that has always produced not just great matches, but absolute classics. On Saturday however, a devastating century by Kamran Akmal meant that Zalmi completed a totally one-sided win over their main rivals.

Batting first after losing the toss, Quetta had Jason Roy looking in superb touch. The English opener struck the ball cleanly and without fear, epitomised by one hit that literally landed on the roof of the National Stadium. But he didn’t quite find any support on the other end, as both Ahmed Shehzad and Shane Watson played turgid knocks that never got going. Wahab Riaz, brought in early here, carried over his form from the end of the previous match and was extremely difficult to handle.

Sarfaraz Ahmed, Quetta’s captain, arrived in the ninth over and immediately changed the narrative. In an innings that saw him in absolutely fluent touch, he was particularly vicious against the spinners, using his feet to devastating effect. It allowed Roy to play with far more ease, knowing that the responsibility didn’t fall solely on his shoulders.

Their fluency meant that the opposing captain, Daren Sammy, had to make a move.

The day had begun with news that Sammy was being awarded Pakistan’s highest civilian award and honorary citizenship in recognition for his contributions to Pakistan cricket. For all of Sammy’s off field efforts, it’s his on-field ones for Zalmi that are equally legendary. Here, he brought himself on for what would be his only over and immediately got rid of Sarfaraz. It wasn’t obvious then, but that ended up unraveling the Gladiators’ innings.

The opening game’s hero, Azam Khan, and then Mohammad Nawaz each wasted deliveries before being dismissed cheaply. It meant that Roy remaining not out till the end didn’t quite have the effect one would have imagined in such a scenario, and Quetta’s total fell short.

No one though, had any clue how small that target would end up being.

Kamran Akmal decided to singlehandedly end the competition there and then. His first 10 deliveries saw the most runs scored by any player in the PSL over such a duration, and that destroyed the target in effect if not in reality. He was deft against the pacers and far more violent against the spinners, but the effect was just the same. Peshawar were always so far ahead of the rate that the few successes Quetta had felt insignificant.

The innings also went some way in establishing the legend of Kamran Akmal’s PSL career, a storied chapter in what is one of the most notorious tales in Pakistan cricket’s rich history. Always talented with the bat, Akmal’s disasters as a wicket keeper had led to much of the criticism he had always failed. But in the PSL, he is not only the highest run-scorer of all time, he now has three centuries in the competition’s history, which is as many as everyone else combined. Predictably, from the press conference onwards to across social media, calls for Akmal’s return to the international side echoed far and wide.

Barely managing to conceal his famous grin when speaking to reporters later, Akmal was at pains to insist that he had no thoughts on returning to the national side, and his complete focus was on the PSL. But Peshawar Zalmi won’t mind either way — if their prized asset continues to make his case for the national side in a World Cup year on their roster, they would be the most to benefit.

Zalmi’s first win also gave them some consolation for their last encounter with Quetta, also at this ground, where they had lost the PSL final. But after almost chasing down 200 yesterday and then gut punching the defending champions today, Peshawar will feel confident that they will be returning to the final this year as well.