Cricket Highlights, 08 Mar: PSL 2023 (Match 23) – Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars

Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars (Match 23) – Highlights

Peshawar Zalmi has secured a thumping 35-run win over Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in the 23rd match of PSL 2023. Opener Saim Ayub was adjudged the player of the match for playing a devastating innings of 68 runs off 36 balls smashing 8 fours and 3 sixes.

After winning the toss, Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam elected to bat first and sent Lahore Qalandars to bowl. Peshawar Zalmi put up a huge score of 207 runs on the board losing all wickets in 19.3 overs. In reply, Lahore Qalandars was all out scoring 172 runs in 19.4 overs.

However, pacers Wahab Riaz and Arshad Iqbal played vital roles in this victory of Peshawar Zalmi. Due to the aggressive bowling by both of them, the innings of Lahore Qalandars stopped at just 172 runs with two balls left in the innings.

Earlier, the two openers of Peshawar Zalmi Saim Ayub and Babar Azam brought up a flying start for the team. These two put together an impeccable partnership of 107 runs in 10.4 overs. Mohammad Haris came to the wicket after the departure of Saim (68 from 36 balls). But he returned to the dressing room after scoring only 9 runs before being able to do anything big.

But at the other end of the wicket, captain Babar continued to lead the team forward. He scored 50 runs in 41 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore accompanied him well. He played a stormy innings of 36 runs off 16 balls. There were 2 fours and 3 sixes in his innings. In the end, Peshawar Zalmi could score a big score of 207 runs courtesy of Haseebullah Khan’s 7-ball 12-run innings.

But apart from these four, no other batsman could score a double-digit score for Peshawar Zalmi. Pacer Shaheen Afridi took the highest number of 4 wickets for Lahore Qalandars. Besides, Haris Rauf, Rashid Khan, and Zaman Khan took 2 wickets each.

Chasing a challenging target of 208 runs, the Lahore Qalandars batsmen were put under pressure from the very beginning due to the controlled bowling of the Peshawar Zalmi bowlers. They lost 4 wickets for only 24 runs in 6 overs of power play.

From there, Hussain Talat and captain Shaheen Afridi brought the team back to the match. Together they put on a daring partnership of 114 runs for the fifth wicket. Afridi scored 52 runs off 36 balls with 3 fours and 5 sixes. On the other hand, Hussain Talat returned to the pavilion after playing an extraordinary innings of 63 runs from 37 balls. He hit 4 fours as well as 5 sixes.

After these two, all-rounder Sikander Raja made a last attempt to win the game for his team but he failed. He got out with 2 fours and 2 sixes, scoring 20 runs off 7 balls. With that, the team’s hope of victory also ended.

Wahab Riaz took 3 wickets with only 17 runs in 4 overs for Peshawar Zalmi. On the other hand, Arshad Iqbal also took 3 wickets with 27 runs in 4 overs. Apart from this, Azmatullah Omarzai got 2 wickets and Aamer Jamal got 1 wicket.

Peshawar Zalmi rises to 4th place in the points table with four wins and three losses in seven matches. On the other hand, Lahore Qalandars is still at the top of the points table with six wins and two losses playing eight matches.

Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars Scoreboard

Peshawar Zalmi – 207/10 (19.3)

Lahore Qalandars – 172/10 (19.4)

Result – Peshawar Zalmi won by 35 runs

Player of the match – Saim Ayub

Lahore Qalandars

Peshawar Zalmi vs Lahore Qalandars Playing XIs