Peshawar Zalmi registered their first points in the PSL X points table with a dominant victory over Multan Sultans, winning by 120 runs at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Zalmi overcame early struggles after choosing to bat, posting a towering 227 for 7 before bowling out Multan for just 107 in 15.5 overs, sealing not only one of the most commanding wins of the season but also securing their largest margin of victory in PSL history. This result not only helps them register their first points but also significantly boosts Zalmi’s net run rate, which had taken a hit in their opening two games.
| Position | Team | Matches (M) | Wins (W) | Losses (L) | No Result (N/R) | Points (PT) | Net Run Rate (NRR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Islamabad United | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2.947 |
| 2 | Lahore Qalandars | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2.051 |
| 3 | Karachi Kings | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | -0.014 |
| 4 | Quetta Gladiators | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -0.917 |
| 5 | Peshawar Zalmi | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1.033 |
| 6 | Multan Sultans | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -2.941 |
A match that started with so much promise ended in a lopsided affair.
After a shaky start at 5 for 2, Zalmi found their rhythm through an explosive middle and lower order. Tom Kohler-Cadmore set the tone with 52 off 30 balls, while Mohammad Haris (45 off 21), Mitchell Owen (34 off 15), and Abdul Samad (40 off 14) launched a brutal assault in the final overs.
Multan’s bowling unit struggled to contain the damage. Akif Javed went for 52 runs in three overs, while Usama Mir and Michael Bracewell conceded over 12 and 9 runs per over, respectively.
In reply, Multan Sultans faltered early and never recovered. Usman Khan’s 44 was the only notable innings, as the rest of the batting lineup collapsed against Zalmi’s disciplined attack, with 17-year-old pacer Ali Raza leading the way with impressive figures of 4 for 21.
Arif Yaqoob chipped in with three wickets, while Saim Ayub also claimed the key scalp of Mohammad Rizwan and Mitchell Owen finished the job with two of his own.
This one-sided contest likely says more about the Sultans than it does about Zalmi. After dominating the PSL for so long, the 10th edition may be the one where Multan’s magic has finally run out. With three losses out of three, things are not looking good for Mohammad Rizwan’s men. Their remaining seven fixtures should already be considered must-win games if they want to make the playoffs this year.
Zalmi, meanwhile, are back in the hunt for the playoffs with this sweeping win. Babar Azam’s team still has a long way to go, but they are not far behind Quetta for that final PSL X playoff spot. With the business end quickly approaching, both Zalmi and Sultans will need to learn valuable lessons from this game.
The PSL X action will now shift back to Karachi, with the Kings set to face the red-hot Islamabad United.
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