Zalmi’s campaign back on track with big win

RAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi reignited their Pakistan Super League (PSL) X campaign in emphatic fashion on Saturday, thrashing Multan Sultans by a colossal 120-run margin at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The victory marked one of the most commanding performances of the season and served as a strong statement of intent from the yellow storm.

Teenage sensation Ali Raza stole the spotlight with a sensational spell of fast bowling, registering 4 for 21, the best bowling figures of the tournament so far. His fiery performance dismantled Multan’s chase and skittled them out for a paltry 107, a far cry from the towering 228-run target set by Zalmi.

Backed by a roaring crowd, Zalmi first put on a dazzling batting display led by the explosive trio of Mohammad Haris (45), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (52), and debutant Abdul Samad (40 off just 14 balls). The Zalmi top order unleashed a relentless assault on the Sultans’ bowlers, thrilling the packed stadium with a barrage of sixes and fours.

Haris and Kohler-Cadmore stitched together a blazing 75-run partnership in just five overs, setting the tone for the innings. TKC reached his fifty in just 28 balls, hammering five massive sixes, while Samad, in his PSL debut, lit up the evening with a jaw-dropping cameo that included monstrous strokes into the crowd. Zalmi ended with a mammoth 227, leaving Multan Sultans with a mountain to climb.

The reply from Sultans never got going. Usman Khan’s 44 was the lone resistance as the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under pressure. Captain Mohammad Rizwan (15) failed to provide the much-needed anchor, while leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob spun a web around the opposition, bagging 3 for 20 and breaking the backbone of the chase.

For Zalmi skipper Babar Azam, who continued his lean run with another failure (scoring only 2), the win was still a satisfying result. “We planned to set a big target, and the team executed it perfectly. Ali Raza and Arif Yaqoob were outstanding today,” Babar said after the match.

Man of the Match Abdul Samad, who looked fearless in his debut appearance, said: “I just wanted to play my natural game, and I’m happy it worked out. It’s a special feeling to contribute in my very first match.”

With this resounding win, Peshawar Zalmi breathed life back into their PSL X journey and sent a clear message to the rest of the league — they are far from done.

Score: Peshawar Zalmi 227 for 7 (Tom Kohler Cadmore 52, Mohammad Haris 45, Abdul Samad 40, David Willey 2-36, Michael Bracewell 2-37, Ubaid Shah 2-40)

Multan Sultan 107 all out in 15.5 overs (Usman Khan 44, Ali Raza 4-21, Arif Yaqoob 3-20)