Fifties from Michael Bracewell and Babar Azam powered Peshawar Zalmi to 188-run target against Lahore Qalandars in the 38th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Put into bat first, the leaders piled up 199/4 in their 20 overs, courtesy of an anchoring partnership for the second wicket between Babar and Bracewell.
The 2017 champions got off to a shaky start to their innings as Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi cleaned up James Vince (10) on the first delivery of the third over with just 16 runs on the board.
Shaheen struck again in his next over, dismissing in-form Kusal Mendis (seven) and brought the total down to 36/2.
Following the back-to-back setbacks, Bracewell joined Babar in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to script a decent recovery for Zalmi, knitting an important 94-run partnership, which saw both batters bring up their respective half-centuries.
Haris Rauf eventually broke the threatening stand on the first delivery of the 16th over by castling Babar, who walked back after scoring 59 off 45 deliveries, laced with five fours and a six.
Bracewell was then involved in another crucial partnership for Zalmi as he raised 64 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership with Iftikhar Ahmed, which ensured a dominant finish with the bat for the leaders.
The New Zealand international remained the top-scorer for Zalmi with 83 off 45 deliveries, studded with eight fours and six sixes, while Iftikhar chipped in with a 14-ball 27 not out.
For Qalandars, Shaheen and Rauf bagged two wickets each, but the latter was expensive as he conceded 46 runs in his four overs.
