Islamabad United secured a thrilling victory over Peshawar Zalmi by 5 wickets in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9, earning a spot in the final against Multan Sultans. Opting to field first after winning the toss, Islamabad United’s bowlers faced a tough challenge as Peshawar Zalmi’s openers, Saim Ayub and Babar Azam, showcased a strong performance, posting 59/0 in the powerplay. However, Islamabad United managed to break through in the 8th over, dismissing Babar Azam.
Despite the loss of a few wickets, Peshawar Zalmi continued to score well, with Saim Ayub reaching his fifty in the 9th over. However, crucial wickets fell at regular intervals, thanks to Shadab Khan’s excellent captaincy and fielding, limiting Peshawar Zalmi to 185/5. Naseem Shah was the standout bowler for Islamabad United, taking three crucial wickets.
In response, Islamabad United faced early setbacks, losing key wickets in the powerplay. However, Imad Wasim and Azam Khan steadied the innings, and later, Haider Ali joined Imad in a vital partnership. Imad Wasim’s exceptional performance, scoring an unbeaten 59 runs, and his all-round skills earned him the Player of the Match award.
Despite some resistance from Peshawar Zalmi’s bowlers, Imad and Haider Ali guided Islamabad United to victory with their impressive batting display. Mehran Mumtaz and Khurram Shahzad were the only bowlers who managed to contain the scoring rate to some extent for Peshawar Zalmi.
With this victory, Islamabad United advanced to the final of the PSL 9, setting up an exciting clash against Multan Sultans.
