RAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi secured an emphatic victory, defeating Quetta Gladiators by 76 runs in the 25th Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 9 encounter at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday evening.
Challenging Target Sets the Tone
Chasing a tough target of 197, the Gladiators faced an incredible offense and managed just 120 runs in 17.5 overs. Despite an impressive opening partnership of 46 runs, the Gladiators struggled to get their innings going. Saud Shakeel scored 24 runs and Jason Roy scored 16 runs. However, the rest of the batting line-up struggled to make meaningful contributions, with no other player reaching duplicate figures.
Zalmi’s bowling attack, led by Saim Ayub, Luke Wood, Khurram Shahzad, and Mehran Mumtaz, proved too much for the Gladiators, as each of them took two wickets. Saim Ayub’s extraordinary performance won him the award of the best player.
Peshawar Zalmi Strong Batting Display
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Zalmi’s Saim Ayub and Babar Azam laid a solid foundation with a 46-run opening partnership. Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris further consolidated with a 47-run stand, setting the stage for a competitive total. Contributions from Tom Kohler Cadmore and Rovman Powell propelled Zalmi to a commanding 196/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Babar Azam top-scored with 53 runs, followed by Kohler Cadmore with 33. Saim Ayub, Powell, and Haris also made valuable contributions to the total.
Quetta Gladiator Lineups
Quetta Gladiators Starting XI: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw (c), Omair Bin Yousuf, Laurie Evans (wk), Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Sohail Khan
Peshawar Zalmi’s comprehensive victory underlines their control in the ongoing PSL 2024 season, while Quetta Gladiators suffered a setback in their campaign. With impressive performances with both bat and ball, Zalmi’s rise in holdings has cemented his place in the conference standings.
