KARACHI: Babar Azam’s unbeaten century and a strong all-round bowling performance powered Peshawar Zalmi to a commanding 118-run win over Quetta Gladiators in the 29th match of PSL 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
Chasing a huge target of 256 runs, Quetta Gladiators never found momentum and were bundled out for 137 in 18.1 overs. The pressure of the big chase kept building, and wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Bevon Jacobs tried to hold the innings together with a fighting 34 off 27 balls, while opener Shamyl Hussain made 21 runs. Dinesh Chandimal and Alzarri Joseph added 19 runs each, and captain Saud Shakeel scored 12, but no batter was able to play a long innings. In total, six Quetta batters failed to reach double figures as Zalmi’s disciplined attack dominated the game.
With the ball, Mohammad Basit and Ali Raza led the charge brilliantly, picking up three wickets each. Aaron Hardie supported them well with two wickets, while Sufiyan Muqeem and Michael Bracewell took one wicket apiece to wrap up the innings.
Zalmi’s clinical performance with both bat and ball made it a one-sided contest.
Earlier a brilliant batting display led by an unbeaten century from Babar Azam and a quick-fire half-century from Kusal Mendis powered Peshawar Zalmi to a huge total against Quetta Gladiators. Quetta captain Saud Shakeel’s decision to bowl first did not pay off, as Zalmi posted 255/3 in 20 overs. The innings was built around a massive second-wicket partnership between Babar
and Mendis. Zalmi started strongly, with Mohammad Haris smashing a quick 16 to take the score to 30 in just 1.3 overs. However, Alzarri Joseph gave Quetta their first breakthrough soon after, removing Haris in the next delivery.
After the early wicket, Mendis joined captain Babar, and the pair took control of the innings. They added 135 runs for the second wicket, both completing their third half-centuries of PSL 11 during the stand. The partnership ended in the 15th over when Usman Tariq dismissed Mendis for 83 off 44 balls, an innings featuring 10 fours and three sixes.
Babar then added 24 runs for the third wicket with young Farhan Yousaf, who scored a quick 19 off 8 balls, hitting two fours and a six.
Later, Babar combined with all-rounder Aaron Hardie to finish strongly. The duo added an unbeaten 66-run partnership at the death.
Babar reached his third PSL hundred on the final ball of the innings, finishing unbeaten on 100 off 52 balls with six fours and four sixes. Hardie contributed a rapid 26 off just 10 deliveries, including three sixes. For Quetta, Abrar Ahmed, Alzarri Joseph, and Usman Tariq took one wicket each.
