Babar Azam stars in Zalmi’s thrilling win over Sultans | Maqvi News

LAHORE   –  Peshawar Zalmi narrowly clinched a 4-run victory over ta­ble-toppers Multan Sultans in the 21st match of the HBL PSL 9 at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Tues­day. Despite a valiant effort from the Sultans’ batting lineup, they fell short of their 205-run target, ending their innings at 200/5. The chase was led by captain Moham­mad Rizwan, who contributed a quick 32 runs, and Iftikhar Ahmed, who remained unbeaten with a blistering 60 off just 27 balls, in­cluding four boundaries and five sixes. Chris Jordan’s explosive 30 not out off 12 balls added to the drama but couldn’t secure a vic­tory for the Multan Sultans. 

The Zalmi’s defensive effort was spearheaded by Aamer Ja­mal and Mehran Mumtaz, who applied consistent pressure on the Sultans, claiming crucial wickets at pivotal moments. Ja­mal finished with figures of 2 for 36, while Mumtaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, and the rest of the Zalmi bowlers managed to contain the Sultans’ aggressive batting, de­spite the high scoring rate. 

Earlier in the day, Peshawar Zalmi had set a formidable 204/5 target, thanks to a magnificent innings by opener Babar Azam, who scored 64 runs off 40 balls. Saim Ayub also made a signifi­cant contribution with a rapid 46 off 22 deliveries. The duo’s open­ing stand laid a solid foundation for Zalmi’s total of 204/5. 

The innings was further bol­stered by Haseebullah Khan’s swift 31 and Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 23, setting a challeng­ing pace for the Sultans. Usama Mir was the pick of the bowlers for Multan Sultans, taking 3 wick­ets for 32 runs, with Chris Jordan supporting well with two wickets. 

The Multan Sultans have clinched their spot in the PSL 9 playoffs following a triumphant match against the Karachi Kings last Sunday. Under the leadership of Mohammad Rizwan, the team proudly stands atop the lead­erboard with 12 points across seven matches. In contrast, Babar Azam’s Peshawar Zalmi occupy the third position, having garnered nine points from eight games.

POINTS TABLE
TEAM M W L P NRR
Sultans 8 6 2 12 0.967
Gladiators 6 4 1 9 0.313
Zalmi 8 4 3 9 -0.384
United 7 3 3 7 0.337
Kings 6 2 4 4 -0.551
Qalandars 7 0 6 1 -0.948