In the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, Peshawar Zalmi defeated Islamabad United by six wickets.
The match was played at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where Peshawar Zalmi successfully chased the 145-run target set by Islamabad United, reaching it in the 17th over with the loss of four wickets. Young batter Muaz Sadaqat was named Player of the Match for scoring a half-century on his PSL debut.
Muaz Sadaqat scored 55 runs on debut, while captain Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 53. The pair formed a century partnership for the fourth wicket. Saim Ayub was dismissed for 1 run, Michael Owen scored 6, and Mohammad Haris made 13 before being sent back to the pavilion.
For Islamabad United, Ben Dwarshuis, Kyle Mayers, and Rilee Meredith each took one wicket.
Earlier, Islamabad United opted to bat first and posted a total of 143 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted overs, giving Peshawar a target of 144 to win. Sahibzada Farhan was the top scorer with 36 runs, followed by Kyle Mayers with 18. Colin Munro was dismissed for 11 by Mohammad Ali, while Agha Salman scored 4, and captain Shadab Khan made 15. Azam Khan contributed 8 and Imad Wasim added 10 runs.
For Peshawar Zalmi, Mohammad Ali took three wickets, while Luke Wood and Alzarri Joseph picked up one wicket each.
Shadab Khan had won the toss and chose to bat first. Islamabad United’s playing XI did not include Jason Holder, Hunain Shah, Haider Ali, and Andries Gous; they were replaced by Colin Munro, Kyle Mayers, Saad Masood, and Rilee Meredith. Peshawar Zalmi’s playing XI included Muaz Sadaqat, Ahmed Daniyal, Mohammad Ali, and Max Bryant.
Shadab Khan stated that the team was trying to give all players match practice and that the decision to bat first was made based on stats. Babar Azam mentioned that had they won the toss, they would have batted first as well. He emphasized the importance of the first six overs and maintaining focus on the current match, highlighting the balanced mix of senior and junior players in the team.
Today’s win for Islamabad United would have secured their spot in the playoffs, while Peshawar Zalmi needs to maintain a winning streak to qualify. Historically, Islamabad United has the upper hand in head-to-head encounters, having won 13 out of 25 matches.