PSL 11: Peshawar Zalmi defeat Rawalpindi Pindiz by 5 wickets 

Lahore (Web Desk): A collective batting effort guided Peshawar Zalmi to a hard-fought five-wicket win over Rawalpindi Pindiz in the third fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing a challenging 215-run target, Zalmi reached the total on the first delivery of the final over, with several batters making meaningful contributions.

Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris provided a rapid start, putting together 50 runs inside five overs and extending their stand to 78 before Asif Afridi removed Babar for a well-made 39 off 28 balls.

Haris kept up the tempo with 47 from 28 deliveries but was dismissed by Amad Butt, leaving Zalmi at 96-2 after 10 overs.

Kusal Mendis then lifted the scoring rate, while Aaron Hardie struggled before falling cheaply to Rishad Hossain. Mendis added a brisk 31 off 17 balls but was also dismissed by Butt in the 15th over.

With pressure mounting, Abdul Samad and Michael Bracewell steadied the chase and pushed the total past 150.

Samad’s explosive 33 off 11 balls ended when Mohammad Amir struck, but Aamir Jamal ensured there were no further hiccups, smashing a six off his first ball and finishing unbeaten on 17 from five deliveries, while Bracewell contributed 35 off 17 as Zalmi sealed the win.

For Pindiz, Butt returned figures of 2/45, while Amir, Afridi and Hossain picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Rawalpindi Pindiz piled up 214-4 after electing to bat, thanks to a commanding opening partnership between Yasir Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan. The pair added 125 runs, with Rizwan scoring 41 off 32 balls before being dismissed by Ali Raza.

Yasir Khan led the charge with an impressive 83 off 46 deliveries before also falling to Raza. 
In the latter stages, Kamran Ghulam and Daryl Mitchell added quick runs in a 41-run stand before Hardie dismissed Ghulam for 37.

Mitchell scored 23 off 13 balls but was removed by Jamal in the final over, while Sam Billings chipped in with an unbeaten 18 to lift the total.