Karachi (Web Desk): Peshawar Zalmi produced a sharp all-round performance, spearheaded by skipper Babar Azam, to outclass Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets in the 23rd fixture of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
The win was Zalmi’s sixth in seven matches and extended their unbeaten run after a previous washout against Islamabad United.
Chasing 155, Zalmi never looked under pressure as they cruised to the target with nine deliveries remaining and only two wickets down.
The opening pair of Mohammad Haris and Babar set the tone early, piling on 75 runs in quick time before Haris departed for an entertaining 35 off 28 balls, dismissed by opposing captain Saud Shakeel.
Babar then stitched a steady partnership with Kusal Mendis, adding 49 runs for the second wicket to keep the chase firmly in control until Mendis fell for 21 to Alzarri Joseph.
Unfazed, Babar anchored the innings till the end, combining with Aaron Hardie for an unbroken 32-run stand to seal the result in the penultimate over.
The Zalmi captain top-scored with a fluent unbeaten 71, laced with 10 fours, while Hardie added 18 not out. Joseph and Saud managed a wicket each for the Gladiators, while Sufiyan Muqeem earned Player of the Match honours for his three-wicket haul.
Earlier, opting to bowl first, Zalmi’s decision paid off as Quetta were restricted to 154 in their full quota. Ahsan Ali fell cheaply in the opening over to Iftikhar Ahmed, leaving Saud and Rilee Rossouw to rebuild with a 35-run stand before the skipper was run out for 16.
Rossouw added a further 29 runs with Hassan Nawaz, scoring a brisk 28 before becoming Muqeem’s first breakthrough.
Muqeem continued to dent the innings, removing Shamyl Hussain, as Quetta slipped into trouble. Nawaz fought for his 37, sharing a brief 26-run stand with Khawaja Nafay, but both fell in quick succession, leaving the side struggling at 120 for six. Nafay made 20, while a late cameo from Tom Curran (15) offered little resistance.
Zalmi’s bowlers wrapped things up efficiently, taking the last four wickets for just 34 runs, with Muqeem and Abdul Basit sharing six wickets between them and Iftikhar chipping in with one, setting the platform for a commanding chase.