Lahore Qalandars clinched a crucial victory in a rain-shortened thriller to secure their spot in the PSL 10 playoffs, eliminating Peshawar Zalmi from the tournament for the first time in history. Fakhar Zaman’s explosive fifty and Salman Mirza’s fiery four-wicket haul powered the Qalandars to a commanding 26-run win in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
Explosive Start from Qalandars
The match, reduced to 13 overs per side due to rain, saw Lahore Qalandars post 149 for 8. Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem set the tone early, hammering 49 runs in just the first three overs. Naeem struck 22 off 10 before falling in the fourth over.
Fakhar Zaman anchored the innings with a blistering 60 off 36 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes. Though the middle-order couldn’t fully capitalize on the fast start, contributions from Kusal Perera (17 off 8) and a late push helped Qalandars reach a strong total.
Daniel Sams, Ali Raza, and Ahmed Daniyal led Zalmi’s fightback with two wickets each, keeping the target within reach.
Read: Warner, Vince Fire Karachi Kings Into PSL Playoffs
Zalmi Collapse Under Pressure
In response, Peshawar Zalmi faltered under pressure. Chasing 150, they stumbled to 42-4 in under six overs. Salman Mirza’s scorching spell shattered their top order. Saim Ayub was dismissed hit-wicket for 8, followed by the quick departures of Mohammad Haris and Max Bryant.
Captain Babar Azam tried to anchor the chase, but lacked support from the other end. With wickets tumbling, Zalmi failed to recover and managed only 123-8 in their 13 overs.
Salman Mirza starred with the ball, finishing with four wickets, sealing the win for Qalandars.
Playing XIs
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Naeem, Abdullah Shafique, Kusal Perera (wk), Sikandar Raza, Shakib Al Hasan, Asif Ali, Shaheen Afridi (cap), Salman Mirza, Zaman Khan, Haris Rauf
Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris (wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (cap), Max Bryant, Maaz Sadaqat, Abdul Samad, Daniel Sams, Luke Wood, Mohammad Ali, Ahmed Daniyal, Ali Raza
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