All-round Shadab seals crucial win despite Jamal's fireworks

Islamabad United thwarted Aamer Jamal's rapid-fire half-century to beat Peshawar Zalmi by 29 runs in the Pakistan Super League on Monday.

Islamabad put up 196-4 thanks mainly to captain Shadab Khan's 80 off 51 balls.

Brothers Naseem Shah, 1-26, and Hunain Shah, 2-25, then sliced through the Peshawar top order in the power play and reduced it to 18-5.

Jamal drove the comeback by smashing 87 off 49 balls to lead them to 152-6 in the 18th over when he was clean-bowled by Shadab, who finished with 3-41.

United moved to third on the six-team table, ahead of Zalmi on net run-rate.

Zalmi's chase was in early trouble when skipper Babar Azam was needlessly run out off the first ball he faced. Babar failed to beat Alex Hales' direct throw at the non-striker's end.

Saim Ayub was caught in the slips in an eventful first over and it became 3-3 when Imad Wasim took a well-judged, sharp two-handed catch at short fine leg to dismiss Mohammad Haris. Hunain's double-wicket maiden extended Peshawar's collapse.

Jamal counterattacked in the middle overs, sharing a 107-run stand with Paul Walter, who contributed 33. Jamal smashed six sixes and eight fours before he misread Shadab's googly in the same over he launched a 102-meter six.

Earlier, after being put in to bat in chilly weather, Hales' middle stump was knocked back by Ayub's first delivery, a carrom ball. But Shadab shared two valuable half-century stands with Agha Salman (37) and Jordan Cox (26). Azam Khan's unbeaten 29 off 14 provided a late flourish.