In the first qualifier of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 11, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Islamabad United by 70 runs in a one-sided match, securing their spot in the final.
This crucial match took place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, where Peshawar Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, emerged as the hero of the victory, playing a pivotal role by scoring a brilliant century.
Islamabad United’s captain, Shadab Khan, won the toss and chose to invite Peshawar Zalmi to bat first, a decision that proved costly. Zalmi set an imposing total of 221 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Babar Azam delivered a stunning innings, scoring 103 runs off 59 balls, which included 4 sixes and 12 fours. This marked Babar’s 13th century in T20 internationals and his fourth in the PSL, tying him for the record of most centuries in the league. Alongside him, Kaushal Mendis contributed 41 runs, while Mohammad Haris added 35 runs.
For Islamabad United, Shadab Khan took 3 wickets, and Richard Gleeson picked up 2 wickets, but they were unable to contain Zalmi’s batsmen.
Chasing a challenging target of 222 runs, Islamabad United struggled to find their footing and were bowled out for 151 runs under pressure. Peshawar Zalmi’s well-executed bowling made it difficult for the United batsmen to stay at the crease, leading to a decisive victory of 70 runs.
It’s important to note that Islamabad United has not been eliminated from the tournament. Although they lost the qualifier, they will have another opportunity to reach the final against the winner of the Eliminator.
