Half-centuries from Saim Ayub (68) and captain Babar Azam (50), followed by three-wicket hauls for Arshad Iqbal and Wahab Riaz, help take Zalmi a step closer to the playoffs, while Quetta Gladiators are struggling in the top-four race
Rawalpindi: Peshawar Zalmi 207, Lahore Qalandars 172 - Peshawar Zalmi won by 35 runs
Peshawar Zalmi enhanced their playoff ambitions by beating defending champions Lahore Qalandars by 35 runs in the Pakistan Super League.
Half-centuries from Saim Ayub (68) and captain Babar Azam (50), followed by three-wicket hauls for Arshad Iqbal and Wahab Riaz helped end a two-match losing run.
Qalandars, who are already assured of a top-four finish, needed 46 from 13 balls but lost five wickets in 11 deliveries to dismantle their hopes of a seventh victory in eight matches.
Victory for Zalmi means Karachi Kings can no longer qualify for the last four, while Quetta Gladiators are on the brink of elimination.
Zalmi were in control of the contest from the outset. A century opening stand between Ayub and Babar laid the foundations before Tom Kohlar-Cadmore (36 off 16) and Haseebullah Khan (12) pushed them towards 200.
Saim Ayub struck his third half-century of the tournament (FAROOQ NAEEM/AFP via Getty Images)
Qalandars were indebted to Shaheen Shah Afridi (4 for 31) and Zaman Khan (2 for 30) for taking late wickets to limit them to 207, with two balls of the innings left unbowled.
Wahab Riaz took wickets with successive deliveries in the fifth over as the defending champions were reduced to 21 for 4 in the chase.
Afridi (52) and Hussain Talat (63) put on 114 for the fifth wicket to rebuild the chase, but the required rate was above 19 entering the death overs.
Wahab returned to dismiss Afridi, and when Sikandar Raza (20) followed at the hands of Azmatullah Omarzai Zalmi had victory within their sights.
Aamer Jamal (3 for 27) cleaned up the tail to confirm a fourth-group victory as Zalmi took a major step towards the playoffs.
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