Peshawar Zalmi humble Multan Sultans by 120 in PSL 10 clash

Peshawar Zalmi's all-around performance crushed Multan Sultans by 120 runs in the 9th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.   

This dominant win registered Zalmi's first victory in the tournament and marked Multan’s third consecutive loss.

Chasing a daunting target of 228 runs set by Zalmi, the Multan Sultans' batting lineup completely collapsed under pressure, getting bundled out well short of the mark, at 107 in 15.5 overs. 

Zalmi's bowlers, Ali Raza and Arif Yaqoob, were key in destroying the batting line. They both claimed four and three wickets, respectively. 

Captain Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed early after scoring just 15 runs, falling to a sharp delivery by Saim Ayub.

The rest of the batting order offered little resistance.

Shai Hope managed 20 runs while opener Usman Khan showed some promise with a solid 44-run knock.

However, their dismissals triggered a rapid collapse. Kamran Ghulam (6), Mitchell Bracewell (3), Ashton Turner (0), and Iftikhar Ahmed (2) all failed to provide any substantial support in the middle order.

The lower order also crumbled, with spinner Usama Mir contributing just 1 run before being dismissed.

Zalmi bowlers displayed excellent discipline and control, capitalizing on the scoreboard pressure and exploiting Multan's vulnerabilities with precision.

Earlier in the match, Peshawar Zalmi had posted a mammoth total of 227/7, thanks to key contributions from Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Mohammad Haris, Hussain Talat, and others.

That performance laid the groundwork for what turned out to be one of the biggest victories of the tournament so far.

The 120-run margin not only reflects Zalmi's dominance with the bat but also highlights their all-round bowling performance, especially the efforts of young Saim Ayub, who contributed with both bat and ball.

For Multan Sultans, this third consecutive defeat now puts their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

They will need to bounce back quickly and reassess both their strategy and squad balance if they are to remain contenders in the latter stages of PSL 10.

As the tournament heats up, Zalmi’s emphatic win has certainly thrown down the gauntlet for the rest of the teams.

Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Zalmi's openers, Babar Azam and Saim Ayub, fell cheaply after scoring just 2 runs each.

However, the middle-order batsmen's explosive contributions not only consolidated the inning but also put the Zalmi in a commanding position.  

English batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore led the way with a fluent half-century, scoring 52 runs, anchoring the innings with composed strokeplay.

 However, it was the aggressive Mohammad Haris who stole the spotlight with his electrifying 45 runs off just 21 balls, setting the tone early on.

 Hussain Talat added vital stability in the middle overs, contributing a well-crafted 37, while Michael Owen and Abdul Samad played impactful cameos, scoring 34 and 40 runs respectively.

 Multan Sultans struggled to contain the onslaught but managed to pick up wickets at crucial intervals.

 Michael Bracewell and Abdul Samad were the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets apiece to keep Zalmi from breaching the 230-run mark.

  David Willey and Iftikhar Ahmed chipped in with a wicket each, but their efforts were not enough to prevent the flow of runs.

 Playing XIs

 Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Shai Hope, Usman Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Ashton Turner, Michael Bracewell, Iftikhar Ahmed, David Willey, Usama Mir, Akif Javed, Ubaid Shah

 Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Hussain Talat, Mitch Owen, Abdul Samad, Luke Wood, Alzari Joseph, Arif Yaqoob, Ali Raza