• Home
  • Match Hub
  • Psl 2023 Babar Azams 75 In Vain As Islamabad United Humble Zalmi With Lightning Run Chase

PSL 2023 | Babar Azam’s 75 In Vain As Islamabad United Humble Zalmi With Lightning Run-Chase

image-lehe0cciIslamabad celebrating Babar's wicket [Twitter]

Afghanistan-based Islamabad United opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz brought down the thunder in his side’s response to upstage a Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi line-up. The cricketer clubbed a swift 62 at the top of the order, after bowlers had restricted the Zalmi from getting away with their blazing start.

Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris fire before lower-order crumble

Peshawar Zalmi openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris formed a 76-run stand at the top before the latter lost his wicket at the end of the seventh over. He listed 40 in double-quick time, while his senior partner and skipper Azam top-scored in the innings with a 58-ball 75*.

However, none of the remaining batters managed to pile up on the opener’s success, as 156 was all Zalmi could manage from their allotted overs. Dasun Shanaka was the only batter to go beyond the single-digits, as Zalmi went from 76-0 in seven overs to 99-5 within the subsequent five overs.

For the United, senior Pakistani speedster Hasan Ali snared three wickets from his end and was ably assisted by Shadab Khan and Rumman Raees.

Gurbaz, van der Dussen batters Zalmi to script one-sided chase

United opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz struck a rapid 62 and was dismissed by the time his team had reached nearly a 100 in their first nine overs. The dynamic cricketer clubbed seven boundaries and four sixes in just the 31 deliveries he faced in the innings.

Rassie van der Dussen scored a calculated 42 at number three, while Asif Ali finished off the proceedings by denting Zalmi’s morale further with a 13-ball 29*.

Islamabad United’s six-wicket win, which came with 31 balls still intact, has now lifted them up to number two on the PSL 2023 points table.

Brief scores:

Peshawar Zalmi: 156-8 (20)

Babar Azam 75* (58), Mohammad Haris 40 (21)

Hasan Ali 3-35, Mubasir Khan 1-5

Islamabad United: 159-4 (14.5)

Rahmanullah Gurbaz 62 (31), Rassie van der Dussen 42 (29)

James Neesham 1-21, Arshad Iqbal 1-38

Islamabad United won by 6 wickets