HBL PSL X: Babar, Talat lead Zalmi to vital win against Qalandars

Peshawar Zalmi secured a crucial seven-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in HBL PSL X on Thursday night, thanks to a lethal bowling performance by pacers Alzaari Joseph and Luke Wood and unbeaten fifties by Babar Azam and Hussain Talat.

At Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, Joseph (3-15) and Wood (2-25) destroyed Lahore’s top order, dismissing them for a below-par 129. Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza was the only Qalandars batter to resist, scoring a fighting 52 from 37 balls, his first half-century of the season.

Zalmi chased down the target in 16.4 overs with captain Babar Azam finishing unbeaten on 56 and Hussain Talat on 51. The pair added 93 runs for the fourth wicket after Zalmi were reduced to 7-2 in the second over.

Shaheen Afridi struck early for Lahore, removing Saim Ayub for 2 in the first over. Haris Rauf then bowled Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a duck in the next over. Mohammad Haris countered briefly, hitting two sixes and two fours in his 16-ball 20 before falling to Shaheen.

From there, Babar and Talat took control. Babar struck seven fours and a six in his 42-ball knock, registering his 34th PSL fifty. Talat’s 37-ball 51 included one six and five boundaries.

Shaheen Afridi finished with 2-22 while Haris Rauf claimed 1-29.

Earlier, after being asked to bat, Lahore suffered a disastrous start. Joseph cleaned up Fakhar Zaman (10) before Wood removed Asif Ali (5) and Daryl Mitchell (2). Joseph then dismissed Abdullah Shafique for a duck, and Ali Raza sent back Sam Billings (9), leaving Qalandars at 34-5 in the sixth over.

Hussain Talat dismissed Afridi (16) before Joseph returned to remove Rishad Hossain (13). Only Raza stood firm, hitting five fours and three sixes before falling to Mitchell Owen in the final over. He and Haris Rauf (10) added 36 for the eighth wicket.

Ali Raza and Asif Yaqoob also picked up a wicket each for Zalmi, who remained unchanged for the match. Lahore made two changes, bringing in Asif Ali and Mohammad Azab.

The win was Zalmi’s second in five games, while Lahore suffered their third loss in five outings.