PSL 2019 Final, Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators: Gladiators battle Peshawar in summit clash. (AP)PSL 2019 Final, Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators: It was a repeat of 2017 Pakistan Super League final, but this time Quetta Gladiators beat Peshawar Zalmi to win the summit clash of PSL 2019 on Sunday. The Gladiators won its first PSL title with a thumping eight-wicket victory over 2017 champions.
Batting first Peshawar, playing in its third straight PSL final, were restricted to 138/8. In reply, the Gladiators chased down the target with two overs to spare. Ahmed Shehzad (58 off 51 balls) led from the front as Quetta reached 139/2 in 17.5 overs. Former Spain footballer Carles Puyol was among the 32,000 fans at the National Stadium.
Quetta Gladiators win by 8 wickets
A single, Rossouw hits the winning runs and Quetta Gladiators have won the match. They have reached the target with 2 overs to spare and win PSL 2019. This is the first time Sarfraz and his team have won the PSL. The entire team runs onto the field and wild celebrations. Ahmed Shehzad remains unbeaten on 59- a match-winning innings.
FIFTY
A quick single and that's fifty for Ahmad Shehzad. He's steered the innings well after that initial mishap in running out Watson. Quetta Gladiators require another 9 runs with 8 wickets and 24 balls remaining
Economical Over
Just 3 runs came of the Wahab Riaz over. Quetta Gladiators require another 28 runs with 8 wickets and 36 balls remaining
Four
Rossouw flicks one away off Jordan past the mid-wicket boundary and wih that the 100 comes up in the 13th over.
Quetta Gladiators require another 38 runs with 8 wickets and 46 balls remaining. Should be a cakewalk from here. QUE- 101/2
Halfway Mark
10 overs have been bowled and the Gladiators are 80/2. Quetta Gladiators require another 59 runs with 8 wickets and 10 overs remaining
WICKET
Short ball from Wahab Riaz does the trick. Ali goes for the pull but it mistimes it straight to mid-wicket. That's out. Quetta lose their second. 8 overs gone, QUE- 67/2
Four, Six
Ahsan Ali flicks it past mid-wicket. The next ball he hammers it for a six- over the cow corner. The last ball of the over is deposited again for a six. Flat batted over deep square- 84 meters- Sensational batting. Five overs gone, QUE- 49/1
Run out
Tragedy! Shane Watson is gone for 7. Imam Ul Haq gives him a send-off. A bit of argument there. QUE- 21/1
Quetta Gladiators resume
Quetta Gladiators resume with Watson and Ahmed Shehzad in the middle. Hasan Ali has the ball in hand. Let's Play! Two fours in the first over and Quetta are off to flier. QUE- 9/0
PES- 138/8
A wicket of the last ball as Sammy goes for the big hit but is holed out at long-on. Bravo celebrates again, his second of the evening. Thoroughly professional and disciplined bowling performance by Gladiators. Young Hasnain being the star of the show with figures of 30/3 in 4 ovs. So Gladiators need 139 to win the PSL 2019.
Dropped! Again
This is the second dropped chance of the innings. Sarfraz isn't happy behinds the stumps.
GONE
Hasnain gets the big wicket of Pollard for 7. The Big man edges it to the keeper, Hasnain gets his third. PES- 110/6, three overs to go
GONE
Fawad Ahmed picks up Nabi Gul who hit it straight to Shahzad at deep midwicket. Good catch in the deep. PES- 98/5
Huge Hit
SIX! Umar Amin goes after Fawad Ahmed and hits another maximum. Stunning shot over the boundary ropes at long-on. PES- 85/3 after 12 overs
OUT
DJ Bravo on song-
50 up
Another four from the bat of Amin and Peshawar go past the fifty run mark. Fawad Ahmed looking in good touch. PES- 52/2
Dropped
Sohaib Maqsood gets a life as Ahmed Shehzad drops him while running back at extra cover. Meanwhile, the Powerplay also comes to an end. PES- 41/2
WICKET
Nawaz gets rid off the dangerous Kamran Akmal for 21. The decision to go down the track was a false one as the ball turned and gripped the surface. PES- 31/2
MAXIMUM
First six of the match- Kamran Akmal gets down on one knee and slogs sweep it to midwicket for a huge hit. WOW! Two balls later another four- Akmal is on fire. PES- 31/1
FOUR
Kamran Akmal slaps that past cover. Hasnain can't get a good finish to his over. PES- 10/1
WICKET
Young Mohammad Hasnain picks up the wicket of Imam-ul-Haq, The steep bounce got the better of Imam and he gets a top edge into mid-off's hands. Imam-ul-Haq is out for 3. PES- 4/1
Look whose here!
Play Begins
Both the teams out in the middle. Quetta in a huddle while Kamran Akmal and Imam-ul-Haq take guard. Let's Play! 2 runs off the first over PES- 2/0
Peshawar Zalmi Playing XI:
Kamran Akmal (wk), Imam-ul-Haq, Kieron Pollard, Sohaib Maqsood, Darren Sammy (capt), Wahab Riaz, Chris Jordan, Hasan Ali, Tymal Mills, Umar Amin, Nabi Gul
Quetta Gladiators Playing XI:
Shane Watson, Ahmed Shehzad, Ahsan Ali, Rilee Rossouw, Umar Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt, wk), Dwayne Bravo, Mohammad Nawaz, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Hasnain, Fawad Ahmed
Sarfaraz Ahmed:
"We'll bowl first. We've seen in the games so far, that the pitches have had a bit of spice. Want to congratulate the people who have come to the ground. Tells everyone that Pakistan loves cricket."
Daren Sammy:
"Anything above 180 will be a good score. With that said, we need to play our best cricket today. We've lost to them three times in this season, but maybe we can give our best performance in the final. Look, in the finals, runs on the board will always put pressure on the teams chasing. We have Pollard and myself to finish the innings, so we hope to maximise our batting."
Toss Time
Quetta Gladiators win the toss and will bowl first.
Pitch report:
It's about 27 degrees. Jonty Rhodes says it is a fantastic wicket for white-ball cricket. It's not a fresh strip, it's slightly rough and a bit dry, and while there'll be nice carry for the pacers. There should be some grip for the slower bowlers.
Hello and welcome
Hello and welcome to our live blog of the PSL final. In a repeat of the 2017 Pakistan Super League final, Quetta Gladiators will lock horns with Peshawar Zalmi in the PSL 2019 summit clash on Sunday.