In today’s HBL PSL 2024 Match 13 at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, a thrilling encounter was won by Peshawar Zalmi against Islamabad United by just 8 runs.
In the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United scored 193/9 in 20 overs, while Peshawar Zalmi achieved a total of 201/5 in the same number of overs. The result was a victory for Peshawar Zalmi by 8 runs.
Match Analysis
On Monday night at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Peshawar Zalmi secured their third consecutive win in HBL PSL 9 by defeating Islamabad United by eight runs. Captain Babar Azam’s unbeaten century led them to set a target of 202 runs, which they defended successfully with the help of leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob’s five-wicket haul.
The toss was won by Shadab Khan, who chose to field first. Peshawar Zalmi’s opening pair, Babar Azam and Saim Ayub continued their good form from the previous game, scoring an unbeaten 65 runs in the powerplay against Islamabad United.
The initial breakthrough for United came from Salman Ali Agha, who dismissed Saim (38 runs, 21 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) in the eighth over, ending the 77-run opening partnership. Right after that, Shadab Khan bowled an over in which he took two wickets, dismissing both Mohammad Haris and Haseebullah quickly, slowing down Peshawar after their strong start.
At the halfway point, Peshawar was at 87-3 with Babar and Paul Walter batting. They added 34 runs before Walter (19 runs, 13 balls, 2 fours) was run out by Shadab at the non-striker’s end in the 14th over. In the 15th over, Rovman Powell was caught behind for eight runs off Naseem Shah’s bowling.
Asif Ali contributed an unbeaten 17 runs off nine balls with two fours, forming a sixth-wicket partnership worth 77 runs from just 31 deliveries. Babar, taking on the aggressive role, scored 59 runs off 22 balls in this partnership, helping Peshawar reach 201-5 after 20 overs.
In the last five overs, Peshawar scored 76 runs, with Babar hitting four boundaries and a six off Hunain Shah’s bowling in the 18th over, which went for 23 runs.
Babar completed his 11th T20 century, remaining unbeaten on 111 runs off 63 balls, including 14 boundaries and two sixes. With this innings, Babar surpassed Lahore’s Rassie van der Dussen as the top run-scorer of HBL PSL 9.
Shadab was the standout bowler for Islamabad, taking two wickets for 28 runs in four overs. Naseem and Salman each took one wicket.
In their chase of the 202-run target, opening batsman Jordan Cox scored 13 runs off 10 balls with one four before being dismissed by Luke Wood. Skipper Shadab Khan came in to bat at number three but could only manage six runs off eight balls before being caught by Saim off Arif Yaqoob’s bowling.
Salman got out, hitting straight to Haris off Saim’s bowling, marking the third wicket to fall for Islamabad in the 10th over. At the halfway mark, Islamabad stood at 74-3.
Azam Khan, the next batsman, took control right away. He hit two sixes against Arif in the 11th over, setting the tone for the rest of his innings. Partnering with opening batsman Colin Munro, they formed a 108-run fourth-wicket partnership, bringing Islamabad close to the target.
In the 14th over, Munro reached his half-century with a boundary off Salman Irshad’s bowling. Meanwhile, Azam achieved the same milestone in the 16th over, needing just 21 deliveries to do so.
Naveen-ul-Haq took the crucial wicket of Azam on the final ball of the 18th over. Azam, who scored an impressive 75 runs off just 30 balls with six boundaries and six maximums, returned to the pavilion.
In the penultimate over, Arif made a significant impact by taking four wickets and conceding only two runs, completely altering the game’s momentum. This feat made him the first spinner to achieve four wickets in a single over in HBL PSL history and also marked the first five-wicket haul of the tournament this season.
Additionally, Saim, Wood, Naveen, and Salman each contributed with a wicket.
Match Stats
Peshawar Zalmi Fall of wickets
- Saim Ayub – 7.3 overs, score: 77
- Mohammad Haris – 8.1 overs, score: 80
- Haseebullah Khan – 8.4 overs, score: 80
- Paul Walter – 13.1 overs, score: 114
- Rovman Powell – 14.5 overs, score: 124
Islamabad United Fall of wickets
- Jordan Cox – 4.2 overs, score: 32
- Shadab Khan – 6.6 overs, score: 50
- Agha Salman – 9.3 overs, score: 73
- Azam Khan – 17.6 overs, score: 181
- Colin Munro – 18.1 overs, score: 181
- Haider Ali – 18.3 overs, score: 182
- Faheem Ashraf – 18.5 overs, score: 183
- Hunain Shah – 18.6 overs, score: 183
- Imad Wasim – 19.4 overs, score: 191
Playing XIs
Islamabad United
- Haider Ali
- Colin Munro
- Agha Salman
- Shadab Khan (WK)
- Azam Khan
- Jordan Cox
- Imad Wasim
- Faheem Ashraf
- Naseem Shah
- Hunain Shah
- Tymal Mills
Peshawar Zalmi
- Saim Ayub
- Babar Azam (C)
- Mohammad Haris (WK)
- Haseebullah Khan
- Rovman Powell
- Asif Ali
- Paul Walter
- Salman Irshad
- Naveen ul Haq
- Luke Wood
- Arif Yaqoob
Match Details:
- Date: Monday, February 26, 2024, at 14:00
- Venue: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
- Toss: Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bowl first.
- Officials:
- Umpires: Richard Illingworth (England), Shozab Raza (Pakistan), Ahsan Raza (Pakistan TV)
- Match Referee: Muhammad Javed (Pakistan)
