Fakhar Zaman’s explosive 60 off 36 balls and Salman Mirza’s fiery four-wicket haul propelled Lahore Qalandars to a commanding 26-run victory against Peshawar Zalmi at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, securing their place in the HBL PSL X playoffs.
Match Highlights:
- Batting:
After a rain delay shortened the match to 13 overs per side, Lahore Qalandars posted a competitive 149/8. Fakhar Zaman led the charge with an aggressive half-century, featuring seven fours and three sixes, while Mohammad Naeem provided a blazing start before falling for 22 off 10 balls. Despite losing wickets at the other end, Fakhar’s steady scoring kept the run rate high. - Bowling:
Salman Mirza was the standout bowler for Lahore, taking four crucial wickets to stifle Peshawar’s chase. Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed with two important breakthroughs. Ahmed Daniyal also impressed with 2 wickets for 22 runs.
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- Peshawar’s Struggle:
Peshawar Zalmi’s chase never gained momentum as they lost three wickets in the powerplay, including Babar Azam for 16. Daniel Sams (26) and Ahmed Daniyal (24) offered some resistance, but the required run rate pressured the Zalmi batsmen, resulting in a total of 123 all out. - Conditions:
The match was delayed by over two hours due to heavy rain, with playing conditions adjusted accordingly: three bowlers could bowl up to three overs each, two bowlers up to two overs each, and a shortened four-over powerplay.
Lahore Qalandars’ win puts them firmly in the playoff picture, while Peshawar Zalmi face an uphill battle to qualify.
