Abrar Ahmed dominates with 4 wickets in Quetta's big victory

On April 12, 2025, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Pakistan, Quetta Gladiators faced Peshawar Zalmi in the opening match of the Pakistan Super League 2025 season. Quetta, upon winning the toss, chose to bat first, setting a formidable target of 216 runs by scoring 216 for 3 in their 20 overs. The batting performance was spearheaded by skipper Saud Shakeel and New Zealand's Tim Allen, who both provided an explosive start. Shakeel continued the momentum with a significant score, while Rilee Rossouw and Kusal Mendis supported the innings effectively. Peshawar Zalmi, in response, struggled from the outset as their captain Babar Azam was dismissed for a duck in the very first over by Mohammad Amir. This early setback put immense pressure on their batting lineup, which never fully recovered. The match turned decisively in Quetta’s favor when they unleashed their mystery spinner, Abrar Ahmed. He made crucial breakthroughs in the fourth over by dismissing both openers, Mohammad Haris and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, snuffing out any semblance of a recovery for Peshawar. Ahmed's exceptional bowling helped bundle Peshawar out for just 134 runs in 15.1 overs. During his post-match interview, Abrar Ahmed expressed satisfaction with his disciplined bowling, particularly during the powerplay, highlighting his captain's faith in him to secure wickets. Peshawar attempted to build a partnership through Saim Ayub and Hussain Talat, who added 63 runs for the third wicket, but their efforts were insufficient to halt the Quetta momentum. Eventually, the fall of key wickets led to a collapse, and Peshawar was unable to build any further resistance against the disciplined Quetta bowling attack. The match underscored the stark contrasts between the two teams’ performances, with Quetta demonstrating batting prowess and a formidable bowling attack, particularly in the spin department led by Abrar Ahmed. This emphatic victory by 80 runs not only sets a strong precedent for Quetta Gladiators in this season but also serves as a wake-up call for Peshawar Zalmi to reassess their strategies moving forward in the tournament.