Dubai March 10: A match winning unbeaten innings of 45 by captain Sarfraz Ahmed helped Quetta Gladiators down defending champions Peshawar Zalmi in the latest clash of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018 edition.

Sarfraz shared an unbroken 74 run partnership with Rilee Rossouw who scored 30 calm runs to ensure his team’s win as the 158 run chase was completed with four balls to spare.

Sarfraz walked in at the crease at a shaky state for his team when Rameez Raja fell with the scoreboard reading 84.

In his alliance with Rossouw, Sarfraz dominated the bowlers to ensure a relatively comfortable win.

The Gladiators have now won three matches on the trot in a fantastic turnaround since suffering a nine wicket drubbing at the hands of Multan Sultans last week.

The win has nudged them ahead of Islamabad United who now occupy the second spot on the points table, Karachi Kings are at number three spot while Sultans are now languishing at the fourth spot.

Earlier, Dwayne Smith (49) and captain Daren Sammy (36)* struck some lusty blows at the two ends of the innings to help Zalmi post a 157 run total for the loss of five wickets.

The two West Indians were chiefly responsible for the Zalmi total after the defending champions-desperate for a win lost the crucial wicket of opener Kamran Akmal for a duck.

Smith struck some big sixes off Mohammad Nawaz and Hassan Khan before falling a single run short of his 50.

Smith had a cruical second wicket partnership of 56 runs with Mohammad Hafeez who hit two sixes and two fours in his knock at the top of the order.

Zalmi stuttered in the middle of the innings losing wickets at cruical junctures to lose much needed momentum in the middle overs but the total was propelled past the 150 run mark through Sammy’s 19 ball effort that includes two sixes.

The captain was ably supported in a 56 run unbroken stand for the sixth wicket with Riki Wessels who scored 31 off 29 balls.

Watson picked two wickets giving away only 25 runs in his four over quota.