Babar Azam’s blazing century and Aaron Hardie’s three wickets powered Peshawar Zalmi to a crushing 70-run win over Islamabad United.
LAHORE — Babar Azam continued his red-hot form as Peshawar Zalmi stormed into the Pakistan Super League final with a commanding 70-run victory over Islamabad United on Monday.
Babar smashed a brilliant 103 off 57 balls, anchoring Zalmi to a massive 221 for 7 after being asked to bat first. His innings featured classy strokeplay, sharp acceleration in the final overs, and a towering straight six to bring up his century.
He was well supported by Kusal Mendis, who made a quick 41 off 26 balls, while Mohammad Haris added momentum at the top. Zalmi’s powerful finish left Islamabad facing a daunting chase.
Shadab Khan was the pick of Islamabad’s bowlers with 3 for 42, but his side struggled to contain Babar once he settled in.
Islamabad started aggressively in reply, with Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas racing to 50 inside four overs. Minhas struck a rapid 44 off 22 balls, briefly keeping hopes alive.
However, Zalmi quickly took control through Aaron Hardie, who removed Minhas and then dismissed Shadab soon after. Wickets continued to fall in clusters as the chase collapsed under pressure.
Hardie finished with 3 for 24, while Sufiyan Muqeem and the rest of the attack wrapped up Islamabad for 151.
The emphatic win sends Peshawar Zalmi into their first PSL final since 2019 and underlines their status as the tournament’s in-form side heading into Sunday’s title clash in Lahore.
Score Summary:
Peshawar Zalmi 221/7 (20 overs) — Babar Azam 103, Kusal Mendis 41; Shadab Khan 3/42.
Islamabad United 151 all out — Sameer Minhas 44; Aaron Hardie 3/24.
Peshawar Zalmi won by 70 runs.
