Sammy wins it on one leg

Darren Sammy defied the pain barrier to guide Peshawar Zalmi to a thrilling five-wicket win against Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Sharjah yesterday.

The West Indian all-rounder, who limped off the ground with a cramp while bowling his third over with two wickets already in his bag, hobbled his way into the ground virtually on one leg again after the fall of Sabbir Rahamn, who was caught in the deep after scoring a run-a-ball 11. Zalmi still needed 15 runs from the last seven deliveries when Sammy took the strike after hurtling his way to complete a single. He hit the first ball he faced over long-off for six, leaving the equation nine runs from the last over. He retained the strike in the second balls of the last over and pulled pacer Anwar Ali over deep square-leg for a massive six. And after hitting the next ball to the extra-cover for no run, the right-hander then punched it past the mid-off fielder for the winning runs – a superb boundary from captain fantastic. Sammy remained unbeaten on a four-ball 16 as Zalmi reached 143-5 in 19.4 overs, chasing Quetta's 141-8.    

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal scored a watchful 36 off 38 balls before being run out while chasing a second run. It was also a game where Sabbir made his PSL debut after sitting out the first three games. Coming in for England pace bowler Chris Jordan, Sabbir had a satisfying day on the field, taking three catches including a spectacular diving catch he took inches off the ground at wide long-on.

Earlier, sent into bat Quetta failed to put up a competitive total despite a fine 47 off 32 balls from Shane Watson and a 25-ball 37 by Railee Rossouw, the left-hander who came in place of Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad.