Islamabad United faced Peshawar Zalmi in their first home match of the season at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium where Babar Azam won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Skipper Shadab Khan took control of the innings from the onset and scored one of the best innings of his career notching up 80 runs off 47 balls. Salman Ali Agha scored a steady 37 runs off 25 balls to build a 65-run partnership.
The United Skipper also set up a 68 run partnership with Jordan Cox which helped the team reach a mammoth total and was one the main reasons behind a 197 target.
Saim Ayub was the pick of the bowlers who delivered an outstanding spell with the new ball in the power play and tumbled the top order by dismissing Alex Hales and Colin Munro, both the batters are the backbone of Islamabad’s batting at the top.
Peshawar’s start was abysmal as they lost Babar Azam in the first over as Alex Hales got some sort of redemption for his duck after getting Pakistan’s batting maestro out.
The yellow storm was silenced in the powerplay as they lost 5 wickets on the trot and the two brothers Hunain Shah and Naseem Shah destroyed the top order with their amazing spell with the new ball.
Shadab Khan achieved an impressive milestone as well by bagging his 300th wicket in T20 cricket and finished with the bowling figures of 3-41 in his 4 overs quota.
Aamer Jamal came on the pitch with his scoring gloves on as he powered sixes and dismantled bowlers all across the power with his immaculate power hitting scoring 87 runs off 49 balls and only Paul Walter supported him at the other end as he made 33 runs off 29 deliveries.
Both Hunain Shah and Rumman Raees picked up two wickets each to help Islamabad United get an important win.
Islamabad United overpowered Peshawar Zalmi by 29 runs to get their 3rd victory in this PSL 9 season and rose to third place in the standings
Shadab Khan was awarded man of the match award for his allround performances.
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