Zalmi sink Pindiz in HBL PSL11 tie

Peshawar Zalmi started their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 campaign with a thrilling five-wicket win over RawalPindiz in a high-scoring contest at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday. Chasing a daunting 215-run target, Peshawar Zalmi rode on collective batting efforts to reach 216/5 on the first ball of the final over in this Pakistan Super League 2025 clash. Openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris provided a flying start, stitching a brisk 78-run partnership. Babar struck 39 off 28 balls before falling to Asif Afridi, while Haris top-scored with 47 off 28 deliveries, hitting four fours and two sixes. Kusal Mendis then accelerated with a quickfire 31 off 17 balls, but Zalmi slipped briefly to 128/3 after Aaron Hardie's struggles and Mendis' dismissal. The chase was revived by Abdul Samad and Michael Bracewell, who added crucial runs in the middle overs. Samad smashed a fiery 33 off just 11 balls, including four sixes, while Bracewell's 35 off 17 kept Zalmi on course. Aamir Jamal sealed the win in style, finishing unbeaten on 17 off five balls as Zalmi completed the chase with five wickets in hand. Earlier, RawalPindiz posted an imposing 214/4 after a dominant start by openers Yasir Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan. The pair added 125 runs for the first wicket, with Yasir leading the charge through a blistering 83 off 46 balls, featuring seven fours and six sixes. Rizwan contributed 41 off 32 deliveries before being dismissed by Ali Raza. Late contributions from Kamran Ghulam (37 off 20), Daryl Mitchell (23 off 13) and Sam Billings (18 not out off 8) propelled RawalPindiz past the 200-run mark. Ali Raza was the pick of Zalmi's bowlers with 2/42, while Aaron Hardie and Aamir Jamal took one wicket each. The victory gives Peshawar Zalmi early momentum in PSL 11, underlining their batting depth in high-scoring conditions at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.