Multan Sultans clinched a convincing victory over Peshawar Zalmi in the first qualifier match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9, booking their place in the grand finale.
The encounter, held at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi, saw Peshawar Zalmi opting to bat first after winning the toss. They posted a total of 146 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, Multan Sultans chased down the target of 147 runs with ease, reaching it in just 18.3 overs. Yasir Khan played a pivotal role in the Sultans' success, scoring 54 runs, including a six and 7 fours.
Contributions from Usman Khan (36*), Iftikhar Ahmed (22), and captain Muhammad Rizwan (15) ensured a smooth victory for Multan Sultans.
Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi's innings was led by captain Babar Azam, who scored 46 runs. Despite efforts from Tom Koehler Cadmore (24), Mohammad Haris (24), and Romain Powell (12), they were restricted by Multan Sultans' bowlers.
Osama Mir and Chris Jordan claimed two wickets each for Multan Sultans, while David Vale, Muhammad Ali, and Abbas Afridi chipped in with one wicket apiece.
In the league matches, Multan Sultans finished at the top, while Peshawar Zalmi secured the second position. Notably, Peshawar Zalmi had defeated Multan Sultans in both their previous encounters.
Although Peshawar Zalmi faced defeat in the qualifier, they have another chance to reach the final by facing the winner of the eliminator match.
The Peshawar Zalmi squad comprised captain Babar Azam, Saeem Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Tom Koehler Cadmore, Haseebullah Khan, Romain Powell, Paul Walter, Aamir Jamal, Luke Wood, Mehran Mumtaz, and Salman Irshad.
Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans' lineup included captain Muhammad Rizwan, Yasir Khan, Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Chris Jordan, David Vale, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, and Muhammad Ali.
