In the qualifier round of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9, Multan Sultans clinched victory against Peshawar Zalmi with another standout performance from Usama Mir and a comfortable half-century by youngster Yasir Khan.
Zalmi chose to bat first after winning the toss in the match held at National Stadium Karachi on Thursday.
In this edition’s first dubbed semi-final, last year’s finalists, Sultans, faced off against Babar Azam’s Zalmi side.
Zalmi’s batting innings started on shaky ground when opener Saim Ayub was dismissed by pacer David Willey in the first over.
Despite the setback, skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris steadied the innings. However, Babar’s dismissal after crossing the 50-run mark and Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s departure put pressure on Zalmi.
Though Rovman Powell managed to strike two fours in the 17th over, Zalmi struggled to build momentum. Luke Wood’s contribution of 12 runs in the 19th over and Chris Jordan’s tight bowling in the last over limited Zalmi to a below-par total of 146 runs.
In response, Multan Sultans’ Yasir Khan and Mohammad Rizwan opened the innings confidently. Yasir Khan’s aggressive batting, including dispatching emerging bowler Mehran Mumtaz for a six, set the tone.
A 60-run opening partnership between Yasir and Rizwan lowered the required run rate. However, Yasir’s departure after scoring a quick half-century brought a slight twist to the game.
Despite some good overs from Zalmi, Iftikhar Ahmed’s boundary-laden over eased the pressure on Sultans, ultimately leading them to victory. Usama Mir’s outstanding bowling performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
With this win, Multan Sultans secured their place in the final of PSL 9. Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi will face the winner of the first eliminator match between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators.
Multan Sultans Squad: Yasir Khan, Mohammad Rizwan, Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali.
Peshawar Zalmi Squad: Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Haseebullah Khan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Paul Walter, Aamer Jamal, Luke Wood, Mehran Mumtaz, Salman Irshad.
