LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi breathed life into their HBL PSL 2025 campaign with a commanding six-wicket win over Islamabad United at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night. The spotlight was firmly on young debutant Maaz Sadaqat, who impressed with a fearless half-century, and skipper Babar Azam, whose composed knock guided the chase.
Set a modest target of 144, Zalmi overcame early pressure thanks to a brilliant 100-run stand between Maaz and Babar. The team was struggling at 40-3 in the powerplay, having lost Mitch Owen, Saim Ayub, and Mohammad Haris cheaply. However, the pairās calm and calculated partnership turned the tide.
Maaz, playing his first PSL match, showed no signs of nerves. He struck four boundaries and three sixes in a fluent 55 off just 33 deliveries. His aggression perfectly complemented Babarās classic strokeplay, as the experienced skipper stayed unbeaten on 53 off 49 balls. Babarās innings included four boundaries and a six, and he brought up both his half-century and the partnership milestone in the 16th over.
Zalmi chased down the target in just 16.4 overs, with Maaz falling only after the game was virtually sealed.
Earlier, Islamabad United opted to bat after winning the toss but failed to post a competitive total on a bowling-friendly surface. They ended their innings at 143-9, largely due to a late surge from Ben Dwarshuis, who scored a fiery 33 off 17 balls. His cameo included three fours and two sixes and provided some respectability to the total.
The innings began promisingly for United, as openers Sahibzada Farhan and Kyle Mayers took them to 49-0 in the powerplay. However, momentum shifted quickly after Farhan was dismissed in the ninth over. Mayers and Salman Ali Agha followed soon, and wickets continued to tumble.
Mohammad Ali stood out with the ball for Zalmi, taking 3 wickets for just 26 runs. Luke Wood and Ahmed Daniyal also bowled tight spells, ensuring United never found the momentum they needed.
Fielding let Zalmi down early on, with Babar Azam dropping a simple catch in the first over, giving Farhan a life. But the team made up for it with sharp catches and better discipline in the latter stages.
Despite being at the top of the table, United suffered their second consecutive defeat after an earlier five-match winning streak. Zalmi, currently fifth, remain in the race for the playoffs with three matches left and just a two-point gap from fourth-placed Karachi Kings.
This match not only revives Zalmiās playoff hopes but also marks the arrival of a promising young talent in Maaz Sadaqat. His fearless debut has given Zalmi fans plenty to cheer about and sets the tone for the crucial final phase of the league stage.
With momentum now on their side, Zalmi will look to carry this form into their remaining matches and push for a strong finish in the PSL 2025 season.
