Peshawar Zalmi booked their place in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final with a commanding 70-run victory over Islamabad United at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Tuesday, 29 April.
Skipper Babar Azam’s blistering century, complemented by a dominant bowling display, powered the table-toppers to a resounding triumph over three-time champions United, who were bowled out for 151 while chasing a daunting 222-run target.
The evening belonged to Babar, who top-scored with a swashbuckling 103 off just 59 deliveries, studded with 12 fours and four sixes to help Zalmi post a formidable 221/7 in their 20 overs.
In doing so, the Pakistan captain etched his name alongside three major PSL records.
His century, reached in 57 balls was his second of the ongoing edition, making him only the second batter in the tournament’s history to strike two centuries in a single PSL season, joining Hyderabad Kingsmen’s Usman Khan, who achieved the feat during PSL 9 with Multan Sultans.
Overall, it was Babar’s fourth PSL hundred, drawing him level with Usman Khan at the top of the all-time list.
Most centuries in PSL history:
| Batter | Centuries | Innings |
|---|---|---|
| Usman Khan | 4 | 35 |
| Babar Azam | 4 | 110 |
| Kamran Akmal | 3 | 74 |
| Rilee Rossouw | 3 | 98 |
| Fakhar Zaman | 3 | 105 |
Beyond the century milestone, Babar’s 103-run knock also saw him equal Lahore Qalandars’ Fakhar Zaman’s long-standing record for the most runs scored in a single PSL edition. Fakhar had amassed 588 runs across 13 innings during the 2022 season. Babar has now matched that tally in just 10 innings this campaign, averaging a remarkable 98.00 at a strike rate of 146.63, with two centuries and three fifties to his name.
Most runs in a single PSL season:
| Batter | Team | Runs | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fakhar Zaman | Lahore Qalandars | 588 | 2022 |
| Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 588* | 2026 |
| Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 569 | 2024 |
| Babar Azam | Karachi Kings | 554 | 2021 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Multan Sultans | 550 | 2023 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Multan Sultans | 546 | 2022 |
| Kusal Mendis | Peshawar Zalmi | 541* | 2026 |
| Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 522 | 2023 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Multan Sultans | 500 | 2021 |
*Denotes ongoing season
United captain Shadab Khan’s decision to field first backfired spectacularly as Zalmi’s openers Babar and Mohammad Haris came out swinging from the outset. The pair put on 72 runs before Haris fell to Shadab in the seventh over for a quickfire 35 off 16 deliveries, laced with five fours and two sixes.
Babar was then joined by the in-form Kusal Mendis, and the duo kept the momentum firmly in Zalmi’s favour, adding 84 runs for the second wicket before Faheem Ashraf prised out Mendis for 41 off 26 balls in the 15th over.
Zalmi wobbled briefly, losing Michael Bracewell and Abdul Samad in the same Shadab over to slip to 164/4, but Babar held firm, bringing up his fourth PSL century in the 18th over. He was eventually dismissed by Salman Mirza in the penultimate over, having anchored the innings with supreme authority.
Aaron Hardie then provided late fireworks with a 10-ball 20 before being deceived by a slower delivery from Richard Gleeson, who also removed Farhan Yousaf on the penultimate delivery of the final over to rein in Zalmi’s closing surge.
Shadab was United’s standout bowler with 3/42, while Gleeson took two wickets and Faheem and Salman chipped in with one apiece.
Set 222 to win, United made a bright start through Devon Conway (20) and Sameer Minhas, who shared an opening stand of 58 before Conway fell at the end of the fifth over.
Minhas, the top scorer for United with a valiant 44 off 23 balls, added a further 23 with Mohsin Riaz before being dismissed by Hardie in the ninth over. Mohsin and Shadab briefly steadied the ship, but Hardie struck again to remove the United captain lbw for six, and Muqeem quickly accounted for Mohsin (25 off 20) to leave United reeling at 100/4.
What followed was a capitulation, four more wickets tumbled in just 23 deliveries as United slumped to 126/8 in 15.1 overs. Imad Wasim offered brief resistance with 22 off 15 balls, before Mohammad Basit removed both Imad and Salman Mirza in the penultimate over to seal a resounding Zalmi victory.
Hardie led the bowling attack with an outstanding 3/24 from four overs, with Muqeem and Basit each taking two wickets and Bracewell and Khurram Shahzad contributing one apiece.
Babar Azam was named Player of the Match for his record-equalling century.
Zalmi now advance to the PSL 11 final, while United will face the winners of Eliminator 1 between Multan Sultans and Hyderabad Kingsmen in Lahore on 1 May for the remaining spot in the summit clash.
