Karachi (Sports News):
Peshawar Zalmi continued their unbeaten run in HBL Pakistan Super League 11 with a commanding 76-run win over defending champions Lahore Qalandars in Match 19 at the National Bank Stadium on Saturday.
Kusal Mendis and Babar Azam once again laid the platform with a 109-run second-wicket stand before a clinical bowling effort led by Sufyan Moqim and Michael Bracewell skittled Lahore for 97 in 17 overs. The result lifted Peshawar to nine points from five matches at the top of the standings, while Lahore stayed in the bottom half.
Put in to bat, Peshawar were rocked early when Mohammad Haris fell for 18 off 10 balls in the third over. Babar and Mendis then took charge with a measured rebuild.
Mendis brought up first HBL PSL half-century off 35 deliveries backing up his hundred from the previous game and continued to anchor the innings while Babar rotated the strike.
The captain reached 43 from 40 balls — a knock that took him past 4,000 career runs in HBL PSL — before falling to Usama Mir in the 16th over, caught by Abdullah Shafique.
Mendis followed shortly after, top-scoring with 74 from 48 balls laced with five fours and four sixes, edging Shaheen to Abdullah.
Bracewell struck a quickfire 21 from 10 deliveries with a four and two sixes before falling to Mustafizur Rahman (4-0-30-2), while Iftikhar Ahmed remained unbeaten on seven to guide Peshawar to 173 for seven.
Shaheen (4-0-22-3) was the pick of the Lahore bowlers, while Ubaid Shah (3-0-29-1) and Usama Mir (4-0-39-1) shared two wickets.
In reply, Lahore's chase never gained traction. Shoriful Islam (4-0-21-3) struck in the second over to remove Mohammad Naeem for one, before Nahid Rana (3-0-15-2) sent back Abdullah (21, 15b, 5x4s) in the sixth.
Bracewell then accounted for Fakhar Zaman (21, 19b, x4s), who was playing his 100th HBL PSL match to become only the third player to reach the milestone, caught by Babar at long-on, to leave the Qalandars 45 for three.
The off-spinner returned to dismiss Haseebullah for three in the ninth over while Sufyan Moqim (4-0-21-3) struck in the very next over to bowl Asif Ali without scoring as the scoreboard read 56 for five.
Bracewell (4-0-18-3) then delivered the decisive blow, removing the dangerous Sikandar Raza (14, 13b, 2x4s) in the 11th over caught to leave Lahore reeling at 64 for six.
Sufyan bowled Shaheen for five in the 12th over before Nahid Rana had Usama Mir caught behind by Mendis in the 13th. Sufyan then completed his three-wicket haul by dismissing Ubaid Shah stumped by Mendis in the next over to reduce Lahore to 75 for nine.
A late 22-run partnership between Dunith Wellalage (20, 24b, 3x4s) and Mustafizur offered brief resistance before Aamir Jamal ended the innings in the 17th over, dismissing the latter.
Scores in brief:
Peshawar Zalmi 173-7, 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 74, Babar Azam 43, Michael Bracewell 21; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-22, Mustafizur Rahman 2-30)
Lahore Qalandars 97 all out, 17 overs (Abdullah Shafique 21, Fakhar Zaman 21, Dunith Wellalage 20; Michael Bracewell 3-18, Sufyan Moqim 3-21, Nahid Rana 2-15)
Player of the Match: Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi)
