Fakhar leads Lahore past Peshawar to keep HBL PSL 2026 playoff hopes alive, Karachi eliminated

Lahore Qalandars kept their HBL PSL 2026 playoff hopes alive after ending the unbeaten run of table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi with a six-wicket victory at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday night, powered by Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 58.

The victory kept Qalandars in contention in the eight-team tournament, lifting them to 10 points. Meanwhile, Karachi Kings have been knocked out of the tournament after securing five wins in 10 matches.

However, Lahore's playoff qualification is still uncertain as the Sunday’s clash between debutants Hyderabad Kingsmen and Rawalpindiz will determine their spot for the last four.

For Hyderabad to qualify for playoffs, they need to win by around 85 runs or chase the target in about 10 overs. The exact margin will only be clear after the first innings of their match against Rawalpindiz concludes tomorrow. If Hyderabad do not win by the required margin, Lahore will qualify for playoffs.

Chasing 200, Qalandars reached the total with four wickets down and three balls remaining.

The chase began on a shaky note as Khurram Shahzad removed opener Mohammad Naeem for 10 on the last ball of the third over, as Fakhar then steadied the innings, building crucial partnerships with Abdullah Shafique and Charith Asalanka, who scored quickfire 25 and 33, respectively.

Fakhar later batted aggressively with Sikandar Raza adding 41 runs in just 18 balls before Raza fell hit wicket to Sufiyan Muqeem in the 16th over for a quick-fire 29.

After Raza, Daniel Sams played a decisive cameo, smashing an unbeaten 35 off 15 deliveries to take his side over the line in the final over.

For Zalmi, Ali Raza, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up one wicket each.

First innings

After they were invited to bat first, Zalmi posted a strong 199-run total in 20 overs, on the back of Michael Bracewell’s 83.

In the third over, Lahore skipper Shaheen Afridi dismissed James Vince for 10 At the score of 16, and then removed Kusal Mendis for seven in his next over, leaving them at 36 for the loss of two wickets.

Babar and Bracewell then rebuilt the innings with a well-constructed 94-run partnership, with both players bringing up their half-centuries.

Haris Rauf eventually broke the stand in the 16th over, bowling Babar for 59 off 45 balls, which included five boundaries and a six.

Bracewell continued to dominate and added another 64 runs with Iftikhar Ahmed for the fourth wicket, helping Zalmi finish strongly.

The New Zealand all-rounder top-scored with an impressive 83 off 45 balls, hitting eight fours and six sixes, while Iftikhar remained unbeaten on 27 from 14 deliveries.

For Qalandars, Shaheen and Rauf claimed two wickets each, though Rauf proved expensive, conceding 46 runs in four overs.