Rawalpindi: Peshawar Zalmi secured their spot in the playoffs of the ninth season of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) by defeating Quetta Gladiators with a 76-run victory in their 25th match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Winning the toss, Quetta Gladiators’ captain, Riley Rossouw, elected to field first against Peshawar Zalmi. However, while batting first, Peshawar Zalmi posted a formidable total of 196 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
In pursuit of the target of 197 runs, Quetta Gladiators’ entire team was bowled out for 120 runs in the 18th over. None of the Quetta Gladiators’ batsmen could make a significant contribution, with Saud Shakeel scoring 24 runs and Jason Roy scoring 16 runs being the most notable performances. Captain Riley Rossouw contributed 8 runs, while Sohail Khan scored 7 runs and Khurram Naveed scored 5 runs before being dismissed. Abraar Ahmed was the only batsman who got out on a duck.
For Peshawar Zalmi, Saqib Mahmood, Liam Livingstone, Khurram Shehzad, and Mohammad Mohsin took 2 wickets each, while Wahab Riaz and Imran Khan picked up 1 wicket apiece.
On the batting front, Peshawar Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, led the charge with a brilliant innings of 53 runs. He was well-supported by Saqib Mahmood with 30 runs, Mohammad Haris with 20 runs, Kamran Akmal with 33 runs, and Haseebullah with 6 runs before being dismissed. Rovman Powell remained unbeaten with 28 runs.
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Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers, including Aqeel Hussain, Sohail Khan, Mohammad Hasnain, and Abraar Ahmed, took 1 wicket each.
With this victory, Peshawar Zalmi solidifies their position in the PSL standings, showcasing their dominance in the tournament.