Karachi – In a must-win fixture of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, Peshawar Zalmi reignited their playoff hopes with a commanding seven-wicket triumph over Multan Sultans at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Monday.
Chasing a modest target of 109, Zalmi cruised to victory with 42 balls to spare, thanks to a blazing start from opener Saim Ayub and a composed finish by Paul Bryant. This victory marks Zalmi’s fourth in the tournament, bringing them within striking distance of the fourth-placed Lahore Qalandars on the points table.
Despite a shaky start to their innings — losing Mitchell Owen for just one run in the first over — Zalmi quickly recovered as Saim Ayub partnered with skipper Babar Azam to build a 49-run stand for the second wicket. Ayub dazzled with a 33-ball 49, smashing four boundaries and clearing the rope thrice, while Babar could only muster eight runs off 13 deliveries before being bowled by emerging pacer Shahid Aziz.
Aziz struck again in his next over, removing Ayub and momentarily stemming Zalmi’s momentum. But Paul Bryant picked up the baton with authority, smashing an unbeaten 38 off 20 balls, including five fours and a six. He, along with Mohammad Haris (7*), steered Zalmi to victory with a solid 40-run partnership.
Multan’s Shahid Aziz stood out with the ball, claiming two key wickets for just 17 runs, while David Willey took one.
Earlier, the Sultans, after electing to bat first, were bundled out for a below-par 108 in 19.1 overs. Captain Mohammad Rizwan’s decision to bat backfired as the home side collapsed under pressure from Zalmi’s disciplined bowling.
Openers Yasir Khan (10) and Rizwan (17) were both dismissed inside the powerplay, leaving the scoreboard at 34/2. Tayyab Tahir’s counterattack (22 off 18) offered brief resistance, but his dismissal triggered a middle-order collapse, plunging the Sultans to 66/6.
Shai Hope top-scored with 23 off 21 deliveries, including two fours and a six, but received little support from the other end. David Willey and Mohammad Hasnain chipped in with 8 and 11 runs respectively, but the innings never truly recovered.
Ahmed Daniyal led the Zalmi bowling attack with remarkable figures of 3/17. Maaz Sadaqat and Luke Wood claimed two wickets each, while Ali Raza, Alzarri Joseph, and even Saim Ayub chipped in with one wicket apiece.
With this emphatic win, Peshawar Zalmi not only keeps their campaign alive but also sends a strong message to their playoff rivals.
