Led by Babar Azam, Peshawar Zalmi beat Multan Sultans by 24 runs on Monday to move to five wins from six outings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026. The victory takes Zalmi to the top of the standings, where they sit with 11 points from six matches, alongside one no-result.
How the chase unfolded
- Peshawar Zalmi began brightly as openers Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam put on 48 runs to get the innings moving.
- Babar Azam then struggled to find his rhythm and was dismissed for 18 off 20 deliveries, drawing renewed attention to his strike rate in T20 cricket.
- After that setback, Kusal Mendis carried the innings forward, firing 68 off 40 balls, while Haris also contributed with 38 off 17.
- With 196 runs on the board, Zalmi set Multan Sultans a target of 197 in 20 overs.
- In reply, Multan Sultans managed 172 for 8 in their allotted overs.
- Multan fell short by 24 runs, marking their second loss of the tournament.
Babar on his strike rate and adapting to conditions
Following the match, Babar addressed the ongoing debate around his tempo in T20s. He explained that batting at different phases of an innings demands different planning, and that strike rate concerns often become part of the public conversation.
“You have to play differently at different numbers. At that time, what kind of guard to play, you also have to look at the scoreboard, and the strike rate also creates a lot of fuss. My belief is that you first have to assess the conditions,” Azam said.
He added that one approach cannot be repeated every day because pitches and match situations vary from game to game. “You have to assess that every day the wicket is not the same. Every day you cannot play the same way,” the Peshawar Zalmi batter remarked.
Azam also pointed out that opponents prepare specifically for each match and that batters cannot always execute their preferred shots freely. “You will face challenges, the opposition team also comes having done their homework, you cannot hit your preferred shots freely (aap muhh utha ke shots nahi maar sakte). On one good day things will click, otherwise you have to work (hard) for it,” he added.
Peshawar Zalmi finished on 196 in 20 overs, while Multan Sultans replied with 172 for 8, resulting in a 24-run win for Zalmi.
