KARACHI: Captain Babar Azam’s unbeaten half-century helped Peshawar Zalmi win by 8 wickets in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11th 23rd match.
It was Zalmi’s sixth win in seven games and fifth in a row against three-time champions Islamabad United in Lahore.
Chasing a modest target of 155 runs, the Chiefs easily rattled off the winning runs with 2 wickets and nine balls to spare.
Gladiators skipper South Shakilal started off the former as their opening pair of Mohammad Haris and Babar added 75 runs in nine overs.
Haris scored a blistering 35 off 28 balls with 5 fours and a six.
Following his dismissal, Babar joined the in-form Gusal Mendis (21) and the duo put on a 49-run partnership for the second wicket to keep Zalmi’s momentum going, which Alsari Joseph managed to bowl in the 16th over.
Babur, meanwhile, held his ground firmly and guided Zalmi over the line in the last over, making an unbeaten 18 off 14 balls with Aaron Hardy for the third wicket.
The captain scored an unbeaten 71 off 51 balls with 10 fours.
Joseph and captain South can take a wicket each for the Gladiators.
Salmi skipper Babar Azam’s decision to field first paid off as the previous edition’s runners-up managed to amass 154 runs in their 20 overs.
The Gladiators got off to a poor start to their innings as their new opening pair Ahsan Ali (four) and skipper Saud Shakeel could only concede four runs as their new opening pair, Ahsan Ali (four) and skipper Saud Shakeel, fell to Iftikhar Ahmed on the third delivery of the first over.
Shakeel looked to start the Gladiators’ recovery with veteran Riley Roseau adding 35 for the second wicket until he was run out in the fifth over and pulled back with 16 off 13 balls.
Rosov forged another crucial partnership for the Gladiators – a 29-run stand for the third wicket with Hasan Nawaz before eventually succumbing to Mugim. He scored 28 runs off 16 balls with 4 fours.
Mukeem caused another setback to the Gladiators’ batting campaign when he dismissed Shamil Hussain, who could score 12 off 10 balls, in the 12th over.
With the scoreboard reading 86/4 in 11.4 overs, Nawaz put on a cautious 26-run partnership with Khawaja Nafey for the fifth wicket, before both were dismissed in successive overs to bring the total to 120/6 in 15.4 overs.
Nawaz top scored for Gladiators with 37 off 35 balls with 4 fours while Nafey scored 20 off 13 balls.
Later, Zalmi’s bowling attack ran through the Gladiators’ lower order and took the remaining four wickets for 34 runs despite Tom Curran’s 15 off 10 balls in the remaining 26 balls.
Mukeem and Abdul Basit jointly led Zalmi’s bowling charge with three wickets each, but the former was very frugal as he conceded just 25 runs in his four overs. Iftikhar, on the other hand, chipped in a scalp.