In the 20th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Islamabad United ended the winning streak of Peshawar Zalmi by winning by 29 runs.
Shadab Khan’s men restricted Babar Azam and Co to 167/9 after posting 196/4.
Peshawar Zalmi faced challenges from the start, losing Babar for a golden duck after Alex Hales was run out in the first over by Naseem Shah.
Naseem dismissed Saeem Ayub on the last ball of the over, and Roman Raees claimed Mohammad Haris, leaving Peshawar Zalmi at 3-3.
In the final over of the powerplay, Shadab Khan introduced Naseem’s brother Haneen Shah, who took two wickets – Tom Koehler-Cadmore and Rowman Powell.
Aamir Jamal and Paul Walter revived Peshawar Zalmi’s hopes, forming a strong sixth-wicket partnership in the run chase. Aamir Jamal impressed the Rawalpindi crowd with a 49-ball 87 including six sixes and eight fours. Walter scored 30 runs off 29 balls.
For Islamabad, Shadab Khan was the standout bowler with figures of 3/41 while Rais and Haneen took two wickets each.
In the first innings, Peshawar opted to field and struck early as Saeem Ayub dismissed Alex Hales on the first ball. Despite a six and a four from Colin Munro in the next over, Ayub had the last laugh, attempting another boundary to get him out.
At 28-2 in three overs, Shadab Khan and Salman Ali Agha put together an important partnership of 65 runs off 44 balls for the third wicket. Salman Irshad’s breakthrough in the 11th over stopped the recovery by dismissing Agha.
Agha was dismissed after scoring 37 runs off 25 balls, which included four fours and two sixes. Shadab Khan continued his aggressive play and formed a partnership of 68 runs off 39 balls with Jordan Cox.
Shadab’s dynamic innings of 80 off 51 balls, which included 10 fours and six sixes, ended when Luke Wood claimed his wicket to take Islamabad to 161.
Azam Khan contributed an unbeaten cameo of 29 off 14 balls, taking the total to 196-4 in 20 overs. Cox was unbeaten on 26 off 20 balls, with two fours and a six.
Saeem Ayub led Peshawar’s bowling with figures of 2-15 while Wood and Irshad claimed a wicket each.
