PSL 2025: Babar’s 56* Leads Zalmi to Crucial Win vs Qalandars | Peshawar Zalmi secured a crucial win against Lahore Qalandars, chasing down a modest target of 130 with ease to register their second victory in the tournament. The match, played at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday night, saw Zalmi’s bowlers dismantle Qalandars’ batting lineup before their skipper Babar Azam and all-rounder Hussain Talat guided the team home with an unbeaten partnership.
Zalmi’s Bowling Attack Decimates Qalandars
Lahore Qalandars’ innings got off to a disastrous start as Peshawar Zalmi’s pace attack wreaked havoc early on. Alzarri Joseph, who was later named Player of the Match, struck twice in the Powerplay, removing Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique. Luke Wood compounded Qalandars’ misery by dismissing Asif Ali and Daryl Mitchell in a single over, leaving them reeling at 35-5.
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Young fast bowler Ali Raza added to the collapse by removing Sam Billings, while Hussain Talat chipped in with the crucial wicket of skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi (16). Sikandar Raza fought a lone battle for Qalandars, scoring a gritty 52 off 37 balls, but lacked substantial support from the other end. Joseph returned to take his third wicket, finishing with impressive figures of 3-15, while Talat and Wood claimed two scalps each. Qalandars were eventually bowled out for 129 in 19.2 overs.
Babar and Talat Steer Zalmi to Comfortable Win
In response, Zalmi faced early jitters as Saim Ayub and Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell cheaply inside the first two overs. Mohammad Haris provided a brief counterattack with a quick 20, but his dismissal left Zalmi at 40-3. However, Babar Azam (56* off 42) and Hussain Talat (51* off 37) took charge with a composed 83-run partnership, ensuring no further hiccups. Both batters reached their half-centuries in 37 balls, sealing the victory with 20 deliveries to spare.
Points Table Implications
With this win, Peshawar Zalmi moved to four points, level with Lahore Qalandars, though they remain below them on net run rate. The victory keeps Zalmi’s playoff hopes alive, while Qalandars will need to regroup after another batting failure.
Brief Scores:
Lahore – 129 all out in 19.2 overs (Sikandar Raza 52; Alzarri Joseph 3-15, Hussain Talat 2-18, Luke Wood 2-25)
Peshawar – 133-3 in 16.4 overs (Babar Azam 56, Hussain Talat 51)
Result: Peshawar won by 7 wickets.
Player of the Match: Alzarri Joseph.
