Twitter Reaction: Peshawar Zalmi stall Lahore Qalandars' winning juggernaut

The fifties from Saim Ayub and Babar Azam helped Zalmi score 207 runs while batting first.

Published - 07 Mar 2023, 18:33 IST | Updated - 07 Mar 2023, 17:13 IST

11 Min Read

Peshawar Zalmi shocked Lahore Qalandars with a 35-run triumph in the 23rd match of the Pakistan Super League 2023 on Tuesday (March 7). Saim Ayub's 68 off 36 and a fifty from captain Babar Azam helped Peshawar score 207 runs while batting first. The bowlers then put up impressive performances to take down the reigning champions for just 172 runs in 19.4 overs.

Babar won the toss for Peshawar Zalmi and elected to bat first at Rawalpindi's Pindi Club Ground. Babar's decision proved to be right when he opened alongside Saim Ayub. Both the batters pulled off a remarkable 107-run stand for the opening wicket to ensure a great start for the Zalmi.

Rashid Khan gave the Qalandars a breakthrough with Ayub's wicket in the 11th over and also dismissed Mohammad Haris in his next over to bring his team back in the game. But Babar's fifty and crucial 36 off 16 from English big-hitter Tom Kolher-Cadmore put the Zalmi on track for a big total.

Shaheen Afridi tried to balance the game with four wickets in death overs but the Zalmi managed to post a 200-plus total. Apart from Shaheen's four and Rashid's two, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan also took two wickets each for the Qalandars.

The young Pakistani pacer Arshad Iqbal bowled out Shawaiz Irfan on the final delivery of the very first over during the chase to give the Zalmi a dream start. Wahab Riaz contributed with two valuable wickets of Fakhar Zaman and Sam Billings on back-to-back deliveries in the fifth over to put the Zalmi in a comfortable position for a big win.

Hussain Talat and Shaheen tried to bring the Qalandars back in the game with an admirable 114-run stand for the fifth wicket. Both the players smashed the fifties and Sikandar Raza added quick 20 runs but the Qalandars fell 35 runs short of the target and eventually lost the game.

Here is how Twitter is reacting to Peshawar Zalmi's big win over Lahore Qalanadrs:

PakistanSuperLeague

@thePSLt20

And this would be @HarisRauf14 getting Babar Azam's wicket for the first time in the HBL PSL. #HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #PZvLQ

04:07 PM · Mar 07, 2023

1.3K

Nawaz 🇵🇰@Rnawaz31888

Babar Azam was gone, and the batting line collapsed - eight wickets for 50-odd runs. Nobody is ready to talk about it. Blame Babar for the collapse as well.