Hosein hat-trick not enough to save Gladiators

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (CMC):

Akeal Hosein produced a magnificent hat-trick, but the feat went in vain as his Quetta Gladiators slumped to their third defeat of the Pakistan Super League season with a heavy 76-run loss to Rovman Powell’s Peshawar Zalmi.

The West Indies left-arm spinner removed Aamer Jamal (5), Mehran Mumtaz (0) and Luke Wood (0) in consecutive deliveries in the 16th over as Zalmi lost five wickets for 21 runs to collapse to 157 for eight at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium here yesterday.

With the innings going off the rails, Powell arrived at number six to stroke an unbeaten 28 off 25 deliveries, anchoring a 39-run, unbroken ninth wicket stand with Naveen-ul-Haq (10 not out), to see Zalmi up to 196 for eight from their 20 overs.

Captain Babar Azam had earlier top-scored with 53 off 30 deliveries while Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck a 19-ball 33 and opener Saim Ayub, a 12-ball 30.

Babar counted nine fours and a six, posting 46 for the first wicket with Saim, 47 for the second wicket with Mohammad Haris (20) and a further 36 for the fourth wicket with Kohler-Cadmore, who belted four fours and a six.

Hosein, who also accounted for Babar in the 13th over, finished with four for 23 from his four overs.

In reply, Gladiators were bundled out for 120 with 13 balls remaining, with only opener Saud Shakeel with 24 off 12 balls, managing to pass 20.

Shakeel lashed a couple of fours and sixes in a 46-run, opening stand with Jason Roy (16) but once the partnership was broken, the innings went into terminal decline as Khurram Shahzad (2-15), Saim (2-20), Wood (2-21) and Mehran Mumtaz (2-22) all made key strikes.