United thrash Zalmi by 102 runs in dominant PSL 10 clash
RAWALPINDI: Islamabad United produced a commanding all-round display to trounce Peshawar Zalmi by 102 runs at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Monday, registering their second victory of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10.
Set a mammoth target of 236, Zalmi crumbled for 133 in 16.5 overs, with only wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Haris offering resistance. He smashed a career-best 86 in the PSL but received little support from the rest of the lineup.
Zalmi’s chase got off to a disastrous start as skipper Babar Azam was removed for just one in the second over by Ben Dwarshuis, who picked up his first-ever PSL wicket. The early breakthrough left Zalmi at 4-1.
Things quickly worsened. In the very next over, Mitchell Owen was trapped leg-before by Imad Wasim for 10, followed by Saim Ayub’s dismissal for six — reducing Zalmi to 26-3 inside the powerplay.
A brief period of stability came through a 41-run stand between Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Haris. But Cadmore departed for eight, becoming Imad’s second victim as Zalmi slipped to 67-4 in the ninth over.
Haris continued to fight valiantly, reaching a rapid half-century and taking the attack to United’s bowlers. But the wickets kept tumbling around him — Hussain Talat (13), George Linde (0), Alzarri Joseph (2), and Sufiyan Muqeem (1) all fell in quick succession, leaving Zalmi floundering at 130-8 by the 16th over.
Haris’s lone battle ended on 86 off 46 balls, and with his exit, Zalmi’s faint hopes were extinguished. Mohammad Ali was the final wicket to fall for three, handing United a thumping 102-run triumph.
Earlier, after being sent in to bat, Islamabad United lost Andries Gous for a duck following a run-out by Kohler-Cadmore. But Sahibzada Farhan and Colin Munro launched a fierce counterattack, adding 100 runs to propel United to 128/1 by the 11th over.
Farhan was in imperious touch, notching up his fourth PSL fifty before racing to a maiden century off just 49 balls — matching the fastest hundred by a United player in PSL history. His brilliant 106 off 52 deliveries anchored the innings.
Alzarri Joseph broke the 144-run partnership by dismissing Munro for 40 and later removing Farhan. Late fireworks from Salman Ali Agha (30 off 15) and Azam Khan (16), along with useful cameos from Jason Holder (20*) and Ben Dwarshuis (18*), helped United post a daunting 235/5.
The total proved insurmountable for Zalmi, as United wrapped up a resounding win to boost their campaign.
