Two days.
Two last overs.
Two youngsters.
Both youngsters saving the day for the captain.
This is the story of PSL 8 so far.
It was a bit of a question mark why Shaheen Afridi chose Zaman for the last over yesterday and Babar put the same responsibility on Khurram Shahzad’s shoulders. One can imagine Afridi might still not be hundred percent and Wahab may not be Babar’s preferred choice after the #iftimania attack. Having said that if any of the youngsters had failed, it would have opened up a pandora’s box for the two captains. In the end all went well as both youngsters saved the runs giving their teams the much needed boost.
Zaman yesterday and Khurram Shahzad today not only have saved a match but probably saved the much needed spirit for their respective franchises.
The second match of the PSL 2023 saw a thrilling encounter between Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings. Chasing a massive total of 199/5 set by Zalmi, Kings got off to a great start courtesy of some lusty blows from Matthew Wade, but soon found themselves in a big hole at 46 for 4 just after the Powerplay. However, Imad Wasim and Shoaib Malik took the responsibility and steadied the ship by pacing their innings beautifully. They added 129 runs for the fifth wicket and took the game close, but just fell short by two runs in the end.
It all came down to the last over. With 16 runs needed to win, despite being below-par on the field and dropping crucial chances, Zalmi’s Khurram Shahzad kept his calm and bowled a match-winning over, taking his side over the line by just two runs.
James Neesham was the pick of the bowlers for Zalmi, with two wickets while not giving away many runs, while Wahab Riaz and Salman Irshad also got a couple of wickets each. Zalmi will not be happy with their bowling effort, but will be relieved to start their campaign on a positive note.
Two last over dramas in tow days have showcased PSL’s ability to produce thrilling cricket for the fans. It seems the franchises are also balanced this year and we are in for much more tighter contests. With two thrilling matches already in the bag, the fans will be expecting more such matches to get their money’s worth.
