Islamabad United surged to an impressive five-wicket victory over Peshawar Zalmi in the HBL PSL 9's Eliminator 2 to set a grand finale date against Multan Sultans, to be played on Monday at 9:00 PM at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
On Saturday night, chasing a formidable target of 186 set by Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United reached 189/5 in 19 overs, securing their victory with 5 wickets in hand. The chase began on a shaky note for Islamabad United, losing early wickets with the scoreboard reading a worrisome 21/3 by the 3.3 overs. Alex Hales, Agha Salman, and captain Shadab Khan departed cheaply, leaving the team in a precarious position. However, Martin Guptill attempted to stabilize the innings with a quick 34 off 21 balls before falling to Khurram Shahzad.
The real turnaround for Islamabad United came through the bat of Imad Wasim, who remained not out at 59 off 40 balls, and Haider Ali, who provided a blistering not out contribution of 52 from 29 balls. Together, they steered their team past the finish line, with their partnership highlighted by aggressive shot-making and calculated risks. Azam Khan also chipped in with a valuable 22 off 17 balls, aiding in the middle-over acceleration.
Peshawar Zalmi's bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, despite Saim Ayub's commendable effort of taking 2 wickets for 34 runs and contributions from Khurram Shahzad, Mehran Mumtaz, and Luke Wood, who each took a wicket.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi had set a challenging target, thanks to a spectacular inning from Saim Ayub, who scored 73 runs off 44 deliveries, including six fours and four sixes. Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris contributed with 25 and 40 runs, respectively, providing Zalmi with a solid start.
Islamabad United's bowlers, however, managed to restrict Zalmi's scoring at crucial intervals. Naseem Shah emerged as the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 30 runs, including the key scalps of Babar Azam and Mohammad Haris.
Imad Wasim's stellar performance, complemented by Haider Ali's explosive batting, ultimately guided Islamabad United to a memorable victory, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying conclusion to the HBL PSL 9.
SCORES IN BRIEF
ISLAMABAD UNITED 189/5 in 19 overs (Imad Wasim 59*, Haider Ali 52*, Martin Guptill 34, Azam Khan 22; Saim Ayub 2-34) beat PESHAWAR ZALMI 185/5 in 20 overs (Saim Ayub 73, Mohammad Haris 40, Babar Azam 25; Naseem Shah 3-30, Shadab Khan 1-35, Obed McCoy 1-50) by 5 wickets.