PSL X: Zalmi Defeat Qalandars by 7 Wickets

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in the 14th match of Pakistan Super League Season 10 at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

A stellar bowling performance by Alzarri Joseph, combined with impressive half-centuries from Babar Azam and Hussain Talat, powered Zalmi to a dominant win against the struggling Qalandars.

Chasing a modest 130-run target, the visitors knocked the winning runs for the loss of just three wickets and 20 balls to spare.

Zalmi, however, had a contrasting start to their pursuit as they lost opening batter Saim Ayub (two) and Tom Kohler Cadmore (zero) inside two overs with just seven runs on the board.

After the back-to-back blows, wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris joined Babar in the middle and launched a brief counterattack.

The duo added a brisk 33 runs in 21 deliveries until Haris was outclassed by a Shaheen Shah Afridi’s slower delivery in the fifth over.

Haris smashed two fours and two sixes on during his 16-ball 20.

Babar and Hussain Talat then knitted a match-winning partnership for the fourth wicket and steered Zalmi over the line in the 17th over.

Babar top-scored for Zalmi with an unbeaten 56 off 42 deliveries, studded with seven fours and a six, while Talat made 51 not out from 37 balls, laced with six boundaries including a six.

Shaheen was the standout bowler for Qalandars, taking two wickets for 22 runs in his four overs, while Haris Rauf struck once.

Zalmi captain Babar Azam’s decision to field first paid dividends as his team’s bowling unit dismantled Qalandars’ strong batting lineup, which could yield 128 runs before getting bundled out in 19.2 overs.

The Qalandars’ woes started in the second over when their experienced opener Fakhar Zaman was cleaned up by Alzarri Joseph while playing a rash shot. He could score 10 off eight deliveries.

The hosts then suffered a twin blow in the next over as Luke Wood got rid of makeshift opener Asif Ali (five) and Daryl Mitchell (two).

The two-time champions then lost two more wickets in successive overs and were consequently reeling at 35/5 at the conclusion of the batting powerplay.

With half of the side back in the hut, captain Shaheen Shah Afridi promoted himself to bat at number seven but could survive for 10 deliveries and walked back in the eight over after scoring 16.

Following the slump, experienced all-rounder Sikandar Raza and Rishad Hossain attempted to force a comeback and batted cautiously for a 23-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which culminated in the 11th over when the latter was caught behind off Joseph.

Hossain made a run-a-ball 13 with the help of one four and a six.

Raza then knitted a one-sided 36-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Haris Rauf, who scored 10 off 14 deliveries before being cleaned up by Arif Yaqoob in the 16th over.

The all-rounder was eventually dismissed by Hussain Talat in the final over. He remained the top-scorer for the Qalandars with a 36-ball 52, comprised of five fours and three sixes.

Alzarri Joseph was the standout bowler for Zalmi, taking three wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs. He was supported by Luke Wood and Hussain Talat, who took two each, while Arif Yaqoob and Ali Raza chipped in with one strike apiece.

Despite the victory, Peshawar Zalmi remained fourth in the PSL 10 standings with four points in five matches, just below Lahore Qalandars, who boast the same track record but a superior net run rate.