Peshawar Zalmi have secured a spot in the final after winning the Qualifier against Islamabad United in as dominant a fashion as possible. The win came on the back of a spectacular Babar Azam hundred, as crowds returned to the league for the first time this season.
Babar turned up the heat at NSK
Being sent in to bat first, Peshawar smashed 68 for no loss in the powerplay. Mohammad Haris, who departed early, scored 35 off just 16 balls and, alongside Babar, who took 59 balls to score 103, set Zalmi up for a big total.
None of the Zalmi batters, excluding Kusal Mendis, who scored 41, and Aaron Hardie, who chipped in with a quick 20 off 10, could contribute significantly. But in the end, that hardly mattered. Zalmi posted a daunting 222 on the board.
Islamabad fell after a brief high
For a while, it seemed like Islamabad United would chase the total down. The openers powered them to 58 runs in the first five overs, but on the last ball of the fifth, Michael Bracewell drew first blood by dismissing Devon Conway. Sameer Minhas and Mohsin Riaz refused to succumb to the pressure, keeping the run rate near 10, but once both departed, the chase lost all substance.
The remaining eight batters could only muster 55 runs as Zalmi’s bowlers, especially Aaron Hardie with his three scalps, ran through them with ease.
Can Islamabad still end up in final?
Eventually, Zalmi won the game by 70 runs and marched into the final on May 4. Islamabad United still have a chance to set up a rematch, but for that, they will need to defeat the winner of the Eliminator between Hyderabad Kingsmen and Multan Sultans.
ALSO READ:
IPL 2026, RR VS DC: Stadium Details, Pitch Report, Stats and Hourly Weather Report & Where to Watch