Multan Sultans secured a convincing win over Peshawar Zalmi in the first qualifier of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 to book their place in the grand final. Held at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi, the encounter saw Peshawar Zalmi elect to bat first after winning the toss. They posted a total of 146 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, Multan Sultans chased down the target of 147 runs with ease and achieved it in just 18.3 overs. Yasir Khan played a key role in Sultans’ success, scoring 54 runs, including sixes and 7 fours. Contributions from Usman Khan (36*), Iftikhar Ahmed (22) and skipper Muhammad Rizwan (15) ensured a smooth win for Multan Sultans.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi’s innings was led by captain Babar Azam who scored 46 runs. Despite the efforts of Tom Koehler Cadmore (24), Mohammad Haris (24) and Romain Powell (12), the Multan Sultans bowlers restricted them. Usama Mir and Chris Jordan claimed two wickets each for Multan Sultans, while David Vale, Muhammad Ali and Abbas Afridi scored one each.
In the league matches, Multan Sultans finished on top while Peshawar Zalmi secured the second position. Notably, Peshawar Zalmi had defeated Multan Sultans in both their previous encounters. Although Peshawar Zalmi faced defeat in the qualifiers, they have another chance to reach the final against the winner of the knockout match.
The Peshawar Zalmi team consisted of Captain Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Tom Koehler Cadmore, Haseebullah Khan, Romain Powell, Paul Walter, Aamir Jamal, Luke Wood, Mehran Mumtaz and Salman Irshad. Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans squad included captain Muhammad Rizwan, Yasir Khan, Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Chris Jordan, David Vale, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi and Muhammad Ali.
