Dubai: Peshawar Zalmi spinners wrecked Lahore Qalandars’ top order batting to inflict a 17-runs defeat and strengthen their chances of reaching the play-off through the 16th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International stadium.

After Peshawar Zalmi posted 166 for six in 20 overs, Lahore crashed from 38 for no loss to 43 for six to be restricted to 149 for nine in 20 overs. Off spinner Mohammad Hafeez and left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan took two wickets each. Lahore paid the price of losing five wickets in 11 balls for just one run. Peshawar became the first team in this edition of the tournament to win the toss and elect to bat instead of the usual trend of opting to field.

In the second over, Lahore opener Tamim Iqbal fell for five caught and bowled by a diving Aamer Yamin. Iqbal checked his shot and an athletic Aamer scooped the catch.

Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez kept the scoreboard moving. They put on 53 runs in 6.4 overs before Hafeez, who played second fiddle in the partnership, fell for 13 — bowled round his legs by leg spinner Yasir Shah.

At the half way mark of the innings Peshawar were 78 for two.

In the 12th over, Yasir struck again by having a well set Kamran stumped by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan for 58 after luring him out of the crease with his leg spin.

With only five overs left and the score board reading 116 for three, Peshawar required some big hitting.

Shakib Al Hasan pulled 17-year-old left-arm pacer Ghulam Mudassar for a six and also scooped past short fine leg for a boundary off successive balls.

Marlon Samuel’s short innings of 17 was stopped by Sunil Narine who bowled him while attempting a cut. Shahid Afridi lasted only six balls to score ten runs before being run out while attempting a third run to third man but could not beat the quick throw from Mudassar to the wicketkeeper.

After the total reached 150 in the last over, Shakib Al Hasan fell to Sohail Tanvir for 30.

Needing to score at 8.35 runs per over, Lahore opener and skipper Brendon McCullum with Cameron Delport engineered a quick start.

Delport hit Mohammad Asghar for four consecutive boundaries and a total of five boundaries in the second over. Hasan Ali put an end to Delport’s 15 ball knock of 32 by forcing him to top edge and got him caught and bowled.

Fakhar Zaman fell for a duck hitting Hafeez to Wahab Riaz at long on and in the same over, McCullum got run out for six off Asghar’s direct hit.

To make matters worse, in the fifth over, Shakib Al Hasan trapped Umar Akmal leg before for one. Grant Elliott too joined the procession when Shaikib also trapped him leg before for a duck.

Sunil Narine and Mohammad Rizwan took the score to 43 when Hafeez had him caught behind for four.

Sunil Narine and Aamer Yamin put on a 45-run partnership in five overs and Sohail Tanvir (36 n.o) and Yasir Shah (22) recorded a 55 runs stand in 7.2 overs for the ninth wicket but their efforts could only reduce the margin of defeat.

Brief scores:
Peshawar Zalmi bt Lahore Qalandars by 17 runs. Peshawar Zalmi 166 for 6 in 20 overs (Kamran Akmal 58, Shakib Al Hasan 30, Yasir Shah 2 for 19) Lahore Qalandars (Cameron Delport 32, Sunil Narine 21, Aamer Yamin 25, Sohail Tanvir 36n.o, Mohammad Hafeez 2 for 25, Shakib Al Hasan 2 for 14) Man of the match: Shakib Al Hasan