Peshawar Zalmi vs Multan Sultans

Multan Sultans cruised into their fourth consecutive Pakistan Super League final with ease by defeating Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets on Thursday in an emphatic qualifying match. Yasir Khan and Usman Khan put on an outstanding opening stand of 84 runs that propelled Multan into its fourth final in succession.

Quetta Gladiators could claim the fourth playoff spot via their net run rate should Zalmi falter.

Overview

Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi played out an exciting encounter on Sunday that saw dropped catches, close review calls, and powerful hitting from both teams.

Babar Azam led Zalmi with an outstanding 64 from just 40 balls after winning the toss and was well supported by left-hand batsman Saim Ayub who made 46 off 22 deliveries as they combined pace and spin to post an astounding total of 205 with five wickets lost.

Target was not easy to reach; Mohammad Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks tried their hardest, scoring runs but being kept within bounds by efficient bowlers’ overs. Eventually, however, the Sultans suffered an agonising four-run defeat despite Iftikhar Ahmed’s impressive innings of 60 off 27 balls.

Peshawar Zalmi Victory

At last, Babar Azam led Zalmi back into first place of their table and secured their place in HBL PSL 9. With Babar’s incredible innings helping lead his side to victory against 205 in their last match of the season, they secured an easy seven-wicket win and one step closer to their championship goal of HBL PSL 9.

Azam scored 64 off 40 balls off just 40 deliveries with seven fours and two sixes to form an unbreakable opening partnership of 84 runs with Saim Ayub during the powerplay overs. Both batsmen showed exceptional control against pace as well as spin bowling attacks.

Zalmi’s bowlers proved too strong for Sultans’ batsmen, picking up three wickets in his first two overs from debutant Mehran Mumtaz’s economical spell to remain undefeated throughout their match, becoming joint second highest wicket-taker with 23 wickets taken overall in this tournament. Mehran Mumtaz even dismissed Tom Kohler-Cadmore en route to becoming joint second highest wicket taker overall in an intense encounter between rival sides.

Multan Sultans Wins

Peshawar Zalmi franchise is a professional Twenty20 cricket team located in Peshawar, Pakistan that competes in Pakistan Super League under Haier ownership. Managed by Babar Azam and lead by Daren Sammy’s coaching staff.

The first half of the match was filled with drama and excitement, featuring dropped catches and close review calls. Iftikhar and Jordan then managed a tremendous 75-run partnership off 28 balls that brought victory within reach.

But Zalmi held firm, and were able to seal victory after an exciting nailbiter. Captain Babar Azam excelled by scoring 64 off 40 balls; supported well by left-hander Saim Ayub who hit 46 off 22 balls; this power play total was the highest power play total for the team this season. Usman Mir, the tournament’s leading wicket taker also contributed greatly in this innings.

History

Both teams faced off earlier this season in the final of PSL 2021 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, with Sultans riding Mohammad Rizwan’s 82-ball century and Johnson Charles’ 25-ball 52 to set a target of 186 runs; but Zalmi managed to get past them thanks to Babar’s 64 runs and Naveen-ul-Haq taking two wickets, beating Sultans by 57 runs.

Peshawar Zalmi Cricket Team represents Peshawar, capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Owned by Haier’s Javed Afridi for 10 years at $US 16 Million for their inaugural Pakistan Super League campaign 2016. They currently rank sixth on winnings/losses rankings with Daren Sammy coaching them while Babar Azam captaining as part of Global Zalmi-a chain of international sports teams sponsored by Haier.

Scorecards

This has been an amazing contest to follow – full of drama, dropped catches, close review calls and wide balls – exactly the kind of game Zalmi needed following an excruciating loss against Lahore Qalandars earlier tonight.

Usman Khan and Mohammad Rizwan have both shown brilliant form with the bat to lead run scoring efforts at this tournament, while Mohammed Ali and Usama Mir have proven effective bowlers.

Pakistan Super League’s ninth edition has reached the play-off stage and four of the best teams are all competing to take home the ultimate prize. Peshawar Zalmi have entered the play-offs feeling confident after finishing second in league stage; led by charismatic captain Babar Azam and boasting numerous match winners in their ranks; however their bowling may prove more challenging as none of their regular bowlers appear among top wicket takers for competition.

Final words

Rawalpindi (Dunya News) – Due to rain, the HBL Pakistan Super League Season 9 final between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi was abandoned at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.

Peshawar Zalmi managed to score 185 runs after being put into bat by Babar Azam’s impressive 68 off 42 balls and Mohammad Haris’ 41. Saim Ayub also made an impactful contribution, smashing 73 off 43 balls while also featuring in two fifty-plus partnerships with both Babar Azam and Haris. Both teams delivered stunning cricket against an overflow crowd at Gaddafi Stadium; Lahore Qalandars were left disappointed after falling to Quetta Gladiators while Peshawar Zalmi were looking to recover after falling to Karachi Kings earlier.