Buoyed by a ruthless display against the Karachi Kings in their previous outing, Peshawar Zalmi carried that momentum forward on Saturday, extending their unbeaten stretch with a dominant 76-run victory over Lahore Qalandars. The win keeps Zalmi anchored at the summit of the points table, where they have collected 9 points and boast a net run rate of +3.103. Chasing once again was not an option for Lahore, as Zalmi’s top order set the tone early and never really allowed the innings to breathe.
With the bat first, Kusal Mendis once more stood out, compiling 74, while Babar Azam added 43 as both batters provided the backbone for the innings. Their partnership took shape right after the third-over dismissal of Mohammad Haris, when the two consolidated and then pushed on to put together a 109-run stand. Although the end phase became a little chaotic—wickets fell in quick succession near the finish—Michael Bracewell played the finishing role, striking 21 off just 10 deliveries to ensure Zalmi posted 173/7 in their 20 overs.
That platform was then backed by another controlled bowling effort from Zalmi, with their spinners doing the damage. Lahore were left reeling at 56/5 halfway through the contest and the pressure only intensified from there. The Qalandars eventually collapsed to 97 all out in 17 overs, failing to mount any meaningful recovery. Bracewell and Sufiyan Muqeem were the chief wicket-takers, grabbing three scalps each, while Nahid Rana chipped in with two dismissals to seal the contest comfortably.
Brief Scores: Peshawar Zalmi 173/7 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 74, Babar Azam 43; Shaheen Afridi 3-22) beat Lahore Qalandars 97 all-out in 17 overs (Abdullah Shafique 21, Fakhar Zaman 21; Michael Bracewell 3-18, Sufiyan Muqeem 3-21) by 76 runs.
In the other match, Hyderabad Kingsmen finally broke through for their first win in the tournament, thanks to a memorable 24-ball, 50-run stand between Irfan Khan and Hassan Khan. Lahore of course were in a chase, but Hyderabad’s response to the target of 189 was built on early contributions from the top, with Marnus Labuschagne making 26 as opener, Maaz Sadaqat adding 37, and Usman Khan contributing 27 to lift the chase steadily.
Still, the innings didn’t stay smooth for long. After reaching 96/1, Hyderabad’s momentum dipped as they slid to 112/5, bringing the equation under pressure with Kusal Perera departing at the start of the 16th over. At that stage, the required rate asked for a decisive push, and that’s exactly what Irfan and Hassan delivered. Between them, they connected for four fours and three sixes, turning the chase back in Hyderabad’s favour and carrying the team home when the finishing overs arrived.
Earlier, Hyderabad had benefited from a strong platform set by Saad Baig’s half-century. Moeen Ali then threatened to take the innings well past the 200 mark, blasting 44 off just 16 balls. Yet it was the late-stage bowling from Hunain Shah that ensured the Kings were not stretched too far—he produced two standout overs at the death, ending with figures of 3-19, and conceded only 22 runs in the final three overs. That late control proved crucial as Hyderabad defended to the finish.
Brief Scores: Karachi Kings 188/8 in 20 overs (Saad Baig 53, Moeen Ali 44; Hunain Shah 3-19, Mohammad Ali 2-35) lost to Hyderabad Kingsmen 189/6 in 19.1 overs (Hassan Khan 33*, Irfan Khan 29*; Abbas Afridi 2-30) by four wickets.
