A playful sideline moment featuring Salman Naseer and Pakistan star Babar Azam grabbed attention after Peshawar Zalmi’s win over Quetta Gladiators, with the PSL chief executive captured making a “evil eye” warding gesture toward the Zalmi captain. While the internet latched onto the gesture, the bigger story was on the field as Peshawar Zalmi strengthened their grip on the top of the table with a comfortable victory.
Key takeaways
- Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
- Zalmi dismissed Quetta for 154 in 20 overs after being sent in to bowl.
- Babar Azam powered the chase with an unbeaten 71 off 51 balls, striking 10 fours.
- The win was Zalmi’s fifth straight in the tournament and the first time they’ve achieved such a run of form in PSL history.
- It was also Zalmi’s sixth victory in the 11th edition, moving them closer to playoff qualification.
Zalmi’s bowling effort sets up a controlled chase
After winning the toss and choosing to field, Peshawar Zalmi kept Quetta Gladiators under pressure throughout the innings. Sufiyan Muqeem and Iftikhar Ahmed were at the forefront of the bowling attack, helping restrict the Gladiators to 154 all out within the 20-over limit.
Quetta’s batting couldn’t build any sustained momentum, with only limited contributions coming from their top and middle order. In the end, the innings never fully got going, leaving Zalmi with a target of 155 to secure another major step toward playoff contention.
Babar Azam’s unbeaten knock delivers the win
In reply, Peshawar Zalmi reached the 155-run target with nine balls remaining and lost just two wickets. The chase was anchored by captain Babar Azam, who played a match-winning hand—staying unbeaten on 71 from 51 deliveries and finding the boundary 10 times.
Azam also received valuable support through key partnerships. Mohammad Haris and Kusal Mendis helped keep the momentum moving, ensuring the required run rate stayed comfortably in check as Zalmi closed out the contest without drama.
Momentum builds as records keep coming
The result extended Zalmi’s winning streak to five consecutive matches—something they had never managed before in the PSL. It also represented their sixth win across the 11th edition, reinforcing their status as front-runners in the race to qualify.
For Babar Azam, the match carried additional significance beyond the team result. During this season, he became the fastest player to reach 12,000 runs in T20 cricket and remains the only batter in PSL history to cross 4,000 runs. He has also now become the fourth player overall to register 100 half-centuries in T20 matches.
With this latest triumph, the focus will remain on how Zalmi manage their momentum in the closing stages of the league, while Babar’s form continues to add to his growing list of milestones in the shortest format.
