Shaheen Afridi 4-31, Zaman Khan 2-30, Haris Rauf 2-35, Rashid Khan 2-41 helped PESHAWAR ZALMI defeat LAHORE QALANDARS 172 all out in 19.4 overs (Hussain Talat 63, Shaheen Afridi 52, Sikandar Raza 20; Wahab Riaz 3-17, Arshad Iqbal 3-27, Azmatullah Omarzai 2-40) by 35 runs. In the 23rd game of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8, Peshawar Zalmi defeated league leaders Lahore Qalandars by 35 runs thanks to Saim Ayub’s 36-ball 68 and Babar Azam’s 41-ball 50 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium.
This was Peshawar Zalmi’s fourth victory in seven matches and it has crushed Karachi Kings’ dreams of Playoff qualifying since the top four teams have at least eight points presently. The most that Imad Wasim’s team can get is six points, given that they defeated Lahore Qalandars in their most recent match on March 12. After moving up to the top of the order, the left-hander Saim achieved his third half-century of the season.
Saim Ayub stars as Peshawar Zalmi Won against Qalandars
Throughout his knock, he hit three sixes and eight fours. By hitting 43 runs in 24 balls in the first six overs, the 20-year-old made the most of the fielding constraints and helped Peshawar Zalmi reach 67 before the conclusion of the Powerplay. The supporting cast member was Captain Babar, and together they scored a brilliant opening partnership of 107 runs. As Saim was defeated by Rashid Khan in the eleventh over, the two were separated.
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In his subsequent over, the leg-spinner added another wicket to his total by tricking M Haris, who top-edged a sweep to Sikandar Raza. After losing Babar in the 16th over, Qalandars staged a respectable comeback in the last overs when Zalmi was poised to make a large total. With just three balls remaining in their innings, they were bowled out for 207 after scoring only 36 runs in their last four overs, losing seven wickets—four of which were taken by Shaheen Afridi—and were dismissed for 207.
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Before being dismissed by Haris Rauf in the 18th over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore made a quickfire 16-ball 36 with three sixes and two fours. Rashid, Zaman Khan, and Haris each claimed two wickets, while Shaheen concluded with 4-31. In the Powerplay, Qalandars’ run pursuit suffered significant damage. On the fifth over, Wahab Riaz bowled a double-wicket maiden, eliminating Sam Billings and Fakhar Zaman in quick succession.
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In the next over, Rovman Powell made a spectacular catch at mid-off after Abdullah Shafique misplayed the ball, leaving Qalandars four down for 21. In the opening over, Shawaiz Irfan played on off Arshad Iqbal. Hussain Talat and Shaheen’s 114-run partnership off 65 balls gave the Qalandars supporters some solace and fireworks. Shaheen hit 5 sixes and 3 fours in his 36-ball 52 before being trapped behind off Wahab.
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Before being removed on the penultimate ball of the 18th, Sikandar scored 20 off seven. Hussain lost to Arshad in the 19th over after scoring 63 off 37 and hitting five sixes and four fours. Two balls were left over after Qalandars were knocked out for 172. Wahab and Arshad each took three wickets for 27 and 17 runs, while Azamatullah Omarzai secured two for forty.
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