Babar Azam was involved in a tense exchange with an on-field official during a Pakistan Super League encounter between Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars, after the match saw repeated ball changes in the early phase of the innings. The disruption began almost immediately, with the incident occurring on the 11th delivery: Mohammad Basit sent down a back-of-a-length ball to Mohammad Naeem, who opened his front leg and swept it cleanly over square leg for a boundary. The ball cleared the boundary rope and could not be retrieved, which meant the fourth umpire had to step in and replace it.
Only a handful of balls later, on the 16th delivery, the same problem resurfaced. Khurram Shahzad bowled a short-of-length offering, and Naeem again attacked with confidence, hitting it over deep mid-wicket for six. This time too, the ball was lost beyond the boundary, forcing yet another replacement and adding to the confusion for players and officials alike.
After those back-to-back disruptions, Babar’s frustration was evident. He was seen in an animated conversation with the umpire, clearly questioning why another ball change was being prompted so early in the contest. With two balls going missing within the first three overs, the unusual sequence unsettled the Zalmi captain and set the tone for a match that quickly became eventful off the field as well.
In the 38th game of the Pakistan Super League 2026, Lahore Qalandars ultimately secured a thrilling six-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi at the Gaddafi Stadium. Zalmi posted a demanding total of 199/4, with the innings bolstered by half-centuries from Michael Bracewell and Babar Azam. Chasing the target, Lahore reached it in 19.3 overs, spearheaded by a key contribution from Fakhar Zaman, while the middle order provided the necessary momentum to keep the chase on track.
The match turned into a high-scoring affair that saw close to 400 runs made in total, but Lahore managed to hold their nerve during the closing overs to clinch a vital victory and keep their playoff hopes firmly in view.
