Peshawar Zalmi bowlers and Shoaib Malik guided their team to a comprehensive nine-run victory against 2020-champions Karachi Kings in match number 11 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Stadium, Karachi.
Wahab Riaz-led Zalmi had set a 174-run target for Karachi Kings after they were put to bat first by the Kings.
Despite the Kings batters’ early collapse, Babar Azam played a sensational inning and scored 90 runs off 63 balls with the help of 12 fours and one six.
No other batter could score even 35 runs against a strong Peshawar Zalmi’s bowling attack.
Mohammad Umar picked up three wickets, while Shoaib Malik, Hussain Malik and Usman Qadir took a scalp each.
Early in their innings, Zalmi looked set to post a huge total in the powerplay but once Umaid Asif removed the dangerous Hazratullah Zazai in the sixth over, the run rate slowed down.
Peshawar’s batting faced another setback after Asif removed Kamran Akmal in the 10th over.
Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik looked all set to capitalise on the start given by the openers but Aamir Yamin removed Ali to put a dent in Peshawar’s batting.
When Ali’s wicket fell, Zalmi were 103/3 with seven overs left in the innings.
However, a 59-run partnership between Malik and Australian Ben Cutting helped Zalmi recover. It was Umaid Asif, once again, who broke the partnership by dismissing Cutting in the last over of the Zalmi innings.
Peshawar ended their innings for 173/4 courtesy of Malik’s 52 from 28.
