Mohammad Amir created history in his first spell against Peshawar Zalmi on Wednesday, as he removed their top-order inside his first two overs.
Amir, who was coming back from injury, trapped Mohammad Haris lbw with his trademark inswing delivery on the first ball of the match.
The left-arm pacer wasn’t done yet as he removed the big fish in Babar Azam for a duck as well in the same over.
Amir settles the score with Babar
Mohammad Amir is fired up 🔥
Babar Azam departs for a 🦆#KKvPZpic.twitter.com/5UC8VVg90Y
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) March 1, 2023
Amir bowled a full inswinger around leg stump, which nailed Babar on the pads. The Zalmi captain reviewed the decision, but it was pitched in line and hitting the leg stump.
Amir returned in the second over to remove Saim Ayub for 1, as he tried to flick the ball but was caught at deep square leg.
This was the first time in PSL history that a team’s top three batsmen were collectively dismissed for less than 3 runs.
Interestingly, the previous lowest score was held by Karachi Kings against Peshawar Zalmi in 2017, which were three runs (Shahzaib Hasan: 0, Chris Gayle: 2, Babar Azam: 1)
Amir ended up with four wickets, while conceding 26 runs in his fiery four-over spell.
Amir is back with a bang 🔥#KKvPZpic.twitter.com/vlz5SZ5Bsr
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) March 1, 2023
In the previous meeting between the two sides earlier in the tournament, Babar had a strong start to his innings as he smacked Amir for his signature cover drive in the first ball of his innings.
Babar also flicked Amir for another boundary, which frustrated the left-arm pacer and he threw the next ball towards Babar in desperation.
Babar brought up his fifty in 39 balls as he cut a short delivery from Imad and dispatched it for a boundary. Babar’s fifty eventually helped Zalmi down Kings in their first meeting of this season.
Amir had angered Babar Azam’s fans before the season, when he said that he doesn’t differentiate between the wicket of Zalmi captain or a tailender.
“These kinds of matchups and player rivalries, keep players on their toes. I personally like these sorts of challenges because it keeps me focused,” said Amir
“My job is to take wickets and win matches for my team, so for me, facing Babar or a tailender batting at number 10 will be the same,” he added.
Amir makes top-order batsmen look like ‘tailenders’#PSL8 #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/yr8gXfUtlZ
— Cricket Pakistan (@cricketpakcompk) March 1, 2023
