Aussie veterans star in PSL

A pair of Australian veterans have starred in the Pakistan Super League overnight, with Brad Hodge and Brad Haddin both leading successful run-chases in the Twenty20 tournament.

Hodge hit 85 off 45 balls for the Peshawar Zalmi while Haddin struck 54 off 42 for Islamabad United, as the two destructive batsmen guided their respective sides to victory in the final two pool matches of the PSL in Dubai.

Coming in with Peshawar in trouble at 2-25, Hodge smashed six sixes in his unbeaten knock as his side chased down the Karachi Kings’ 152 in the penultimate over of the game.

Former Test wicketkeeper Haddin was equally effective, as he, along with the evergreen Misbah-ul-Haq (38 off 19), helped Islamabad to reach the Lahore Qalandars’ target of 150 with six balls to spare despite the absence of allrounder Shane Watson.

Watson returned to Australia last weekend after sustaining an abdominal injury but is optimistic of recovering in time for the upcoming World T20 in India.

Towering paceman Mohammad Irfan (3-22 off four overs) and fellow left-armer Rumman Raees (1-31 off four), who Watson recently picked out as the most impressive local player he’d seen in the competition, were also instrumental in Islamabad’s victory.

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The pace duo have both been named in Pakistan’s squad for the next month’s World T20.

The respective victories secured finals spots for the two sides: Islamabad, who are coached by former Australia batsman Dean Jones, will take on Karachi on Saturday in a knock-out final, while top-placed Peshawar will play the Quetta Gladiators on Friday, with the winner proceeding to the final.