Franchise cricket around the world has resulted in greater camaraderie between players who often lock horns against each other during the international cricket season. Having said that what transpired during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) match between Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators remains a rare sight.
In this high-scoring contest, when Peshawar Zalmi pacer Wahab Riaz dismissed Quetta Gladiators' Martin Guptill, the bowler kissed the batter before sending him off. The video of the incident has surfaced on social media.
Check it out here:
While Peshawar did manage to get the wicket of Guptill fairly early after posting 240 runs in their innings, they succumbed to a defeat in this match as they were blown away by a Jason Roy masterclass who scored 145 off 63 deliveries and helped the chasing side reach their target with 10 balls to spare and 8 wickets remaining. The Englishman's knock was laced with a score of fours and as many as five sixes.
Will Smeed was the only other Quetta Gladiators' wicket to fall on the day which saw just 4 wickets fell in the match.
Earlier, Peshawar captain Babar Azam had also scored a superb hundred and eventually got out for 115 off 65 deliveries. His innings was well-supported by Saim Ayub's 74 off 34 but as it turned out their total of 240 didn't turn out to be enough.
Commentator Simon Doull had even criticised Babar's approach when he was nearing his hundred and alleged that the Peshawar captain wasn't putting his team in front of him but playing to reach the hundred. As it turns out, that could have made a difference as the match getting over in 18.2 overs indicates.
The victory, meanwhile, has helped Gladiators reach the fifth place on the table with three wins from 9 matches.