Babar, Talat steer Zalmi to convincing victory over Qalandars

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi secured a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday, successfully chasing down a modest target of 130 with 20 balls to spare.

Captain Babar Azam led from the front with an unbeaten 56, while Hussain Talat capped off his all-round performance with a valuable 51 not out, guiding Zalmi to their second win of PSL 2025. Despite early setbacks, Peshawar displayed remarkable composure in their run chase. They lost opener Saim Ayub for just 2 in the first over to Shaheen Shah Afridi, who struck again in his next over to dismiss Tom Kohler-Cadmore, leaving Zalmi struggling at 7-2.

Mohammad Haris briefly steadied the innings with a quickfire 20 before falling to Haris Rauf in the fifth over with the score at 40-3. At this point, the match hung in the balance with Qalandars sensing an opportunity to fight back.

However, the experienced pair of Babar Azam and Hussain Talat had other ideas. The duo methodically dismantled the Qalandars’ bowling attack with a match-winning unbroken partnership of 93 runs from 70 balls for the fourth wicket.

Babar, showcasing his class and temperament, anchored the innings with a fluent 56 not out, while Talat, who had earlier impressed with the ball, contributed a dynamic 51 not out to complete a perfectly executed chase. Zalmi reached their target of 133-3 in just 16.4 overs, highlighting the clinical nature of their performance.

Defending a below-par total, Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi tried to inspire his team with a spirited opening spell, finishing with impressive figures of 2-22. Haris Rauf managed one wicket but proved expensive, conceding 39 runs from his allocation.

Despite the early breakthroughs, the Qalandars simply didn’t have enough runs on the board to seriously challenge a determined Zalmi batting lineup once the fourth-wicket partnership gained momentum.

The foundation for Zalmi’s victory was laid by their bowling unit earlier in the day. After winning the toss and electing to field, they decimated the Qalandars’ batting lineup, restricting them to 129 all out in 19.2 overs.

With this victory, Peshawar Zalmi have improved their position in the PSL standings, securing their second win of the tournament. For Lahore Qalandars, this represents their third defeat of the campaign, putting additional pressure on them as they approach the middle phase of the competition.