Peshawar Zalmi beats Multan Sultans by 4 runs

RAWALPINDI: In a thrilling showdown at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Peshawar Zalmi emerged victorious over Multan Sultans in the ninth iteration of the Pakistan Premier League (PSL) by a narrow margin of four runs on Tuesday.

Opting to bat after winning toss, Zalmi set a target of 204 for the Sultans to chase. Team captain Babar Azam showcased a dazzling performance with 64 runs off just 40 deliveries, earning him the well-deserved Player of the Match award, as well.

Backing up Azam’s perfornance, Saim Ayub contributed a formidable 46 runs off a mere 22 balls, while Haseebullah Khan added a notable 31 runs from his 20-ball stint.

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Multan Sultans, however, fought back fiercely with their bowling lineup. Usama Mir led the charge, snatching three wickets while conceding 32 runs in his four overs.

Meanwhile, Chris Jordan also made his mark with two crucial dismissals in four overs, while Iftikhar Ahmed yielded only twelve runs in a single over.

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As the chase commenced, Multan Sultans displayed resilience with the bat. Iftikhar Ahmed spearheaded their charge with an explosive 60 off a mere 27 balls, injecting momentum into their innings.

Teammates Mohammad Rizwan and Chris Jordan also showcased their prowess, contributing 32 runs and an impressive 30 runs off 24 and 12 balls respectively.

In the bowling department, Peshawar Zalmi’s Aamir Jamal dismantled two Multan Sultan batters in his four-over batting run. Mehram Mumtaz and Naveen-ul-Haq complemented Jamal’s efforts, claiming a wicket each in their allotted overs.

Peshawar Zalmi set a daunting target of 205 runs for Multan Sultans to chase within the stipulated 20 overs. However, despite a valiant effort, Multan Sultans fell short of the target, managing to muster only 200 runs with five wickets in hand by the end of the 20th over.

In a thrilling climax, Peshawar Zalmi clinched victory by a razor-thin margin of four runs.