Tag: Peshawar Zalmi

LAHORE: Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana has rejoined the Peshawar Zalmi squad ahead of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final, scheduled to be played at Gaddafi Stadium here on Sunday.

The 23-year-old pacer has received a fresh No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), citing the importance of exposure to high-pressure franchise cricket.

The young fast bowler had initially been given NOC only until April 13, after which he returned home alongside other Bangladesh players for the series against New Zealand.

He was part of Bangladesh’s squad against New Zealand but was not selected for the first two T20Is, with selectors prioritising his workload management ahead of a busy Test calendar.

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However, following a reassessment, the BCB granted him permission to feature in the PSL final.

Rana’s return comes as a timely boost for Zalmi, who have secured their place in the final after defeating Islamabad United in the Qualifier.

They will now face the winner of the second Eliminator, to be contested between Islamabad United and Hyderabad Kingsmen later today.

It’s worth noting that during his brief PSL stint, Rana made a strong impression, picking up seven wickets at an average of 10.85 in four matches at an economy rate of 5.42 for Zalmi.

Peshawar Zalmi squad

Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit

READ: New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner sidelined for ‘at least a month’

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi has extended an official invitation to former captain Daren Sammy to attend the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final, following strong fan demand after the former champions booked their place in the title decider.

Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, secured their spot in the final with a commanding win over Islamabad United in the Qualifier at the Gaddafi Stadium. The final is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Sunday.

Following the victory, fans flooded social media, urging Afridi to bring back Sammy, who famously led Zalmi to their maiden PSL title in 2017.

Responding to the calls, Afridi shared an Instagram story tagging the former West Indies skipper and inviting him to be part of the occasion.

“Brother, we are officially inviting you to witness the final match of Zalmi (fans request) @darensammy88,” Afridi wrote.

Daren Sammy remains one of the most iconic figures in Zalmi’s history, having been part of the franchise during its early years.

He captained the side for four seasons and played a key role in their 2017 title triumph, when they defeated Quetta Gladiators in the final.

Since that title-winning campaign, Zalmi have reached the final on three more occasions, in 2018, 2019 and 2021, but have fallen short each time in their quest for a second trophy.

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However, the ongoing PSL 11 season has seen Zalmi return as one of the most dominant sides. They topped the league stage with eight wins, just one defeat and one no-result from 10 matches, finishing with 17 points and an impressive net run rate of 2.324.

Their win over Islamabad United marked their fifth appearance in a PSL final, and they will now face the winner of the second Eliminator, to be contested between Islamabad United and Hyderabad Kingsmen, in the grand finale.

READ: JP Duminy concludes PSL 11 commentary stint

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi has confirmed the availability of Bangladesh fast bowler Nahid Rana for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final, scheduled to be played at Gaddafi Stadium here on Sunday.

The right-arm pacer was initially given a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to feature in the league until April 13. He later returned home alongside other Bangladesh players after being called up for national duty during the ongoing white-ball series against New Zealand.

He was part of Bangladesh’s squad against New Zealand but was not selected for the first two T20Is, with selectors prioritising his workload management ahead of a busy Test calendar.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), on Wednesday, reinstated Rana’s NOC, allowing him to rejoin the Zalmi squad for the final.

“This decision has been made considering the significance of participating in the final of a major global franchise competition, which is viewed as an important step in the continued development of the player,” the BCB said in a statement.

“More importantly, the team management and BCB medical team has provided clearance, confirming that his participation in the match will not adversely affect his fitness, workload management or availability for national duty.”

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Javed Afridi took to social media and extended his gratitude to the BCB president, Tamim Iqbal, for reinstating the NOC of the right-arm pacer, who set the PSL 11 on fire with his fiery bowling display.

“Thank you Brother Tamim for permitting Nahid Rana to feature for Peshawar Zalmi in the #PSL11 final match InshaAllah,” Afridi posted.

During his brief PSL stint, Rana made a strong impression, picking up seven wickets at an average of 10.85 in four matches at an economy rate of 5.42 for Zalmi.

READ: Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed addresses criticism over his role

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi youngster Ali Raza etched his name into the record books with a stunning hat-trick against Karachi Kings during their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 encounter at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old pacer produced a remarkable final over to derail Karachi’s innings, claiming three wickets in as many deliveries to restrict them to 182-9.

Raza began his hat-trick with the dismissal of Khushdil Shah, who fell in unfortunate fashion via a hit-wicket. He then followed it up with two pinpoint yorkers to clean up Shahid Aziz and Hasan Ali.

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With this effort, Raza became only the seventh bowler in PSL history to register a hat-trick.

The milestone list is headlined by Mohammad Amir, who achieved the league’s first hat-trick in the inaugural 2016 edition, followed by notable names such as Junaid Khan and Imran Tahir.

Hat-tricks in Pakistan Super League (PSL)

• Mohammad Amir (KK) against Lahore Qalandars in 2016
• Junaid Khan (MS) against Lahore Qalandars in 2018
• Imran Tahir (MS) against Quetta Gladiators in 2018
• Mohammad Sami (IU) against Peshawar Zalmi in 2019
• Abbas Afridi (MS) against Quetta Gladiators in 2023
• Akeal Hosein (QG) against Peshawar Zalmi in 2024
• Ali Raza (PZ) against Karachi Kings in 2026

In addition to joining the elite list, Raza also set a new benchmark by becoming the youngest Pakistani to take a T20 hat-trick at just 18 years and 35 days.

The young pacer capped off an impressive outing with figures of 4-41, having earlier removed Karachi Kings captain David Warner during the powerplay.

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LAHORE: Kusal Mendis continued his rich vein of form as Peshawar Zalmi eased past Karachi Kings in Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 clash at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Unbeaten Zalmi chased down a stiff target of 183 inside 18 overs, losing only three wickets in the process.

The opening pair of James Vince and Babar Azam added 37  in the first five overs before both batters were sent back in successive overs.

Babar was caught after scoring 25 from 19, whereas Vince was caught behind on 16.  The wickets brought Aaron Hardie and Kusal Mendis on the crease. The pair tried to arrest the slide with a brief 22-run partnership. However, Hardie fell prey to Khusdil Shah, putting Karachi Kings in pole position.

At this stage, the scorecard read 67-3 in 7.4 overs with Farhan Yousaf joining Mendis. The pair launched a recovery and took their side out of trouble. Both batters batted briskly, soaking up all the pressure.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Mendis and Yousaf took the game away from Karachi Kings in the last five overs, taking the attack to the bowlers. The pair finished with an unbeaten 119-run partnership from 69 balls, propelling Zalmi to their eighth win on the trot.

Mendis — the leading run scorer of the tournament- struck four sixes and five fours in his 80* off 43 balls. Yousaf, on the other hand, scored his maiden half-century, hitting three sixes and five fours. He made 58 off 36 deliveries.

For Karachi Kings, Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah and Hasan Ali picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi seamer Ali Raza produced a sensational hat-trick to derail Karachi Kings after an aggressive half-century by Jason Roy.

Batting first after winning the toss, Karachi Kings had a mixed outing despite a strong start from opener Jason Roy, who anchored the innings with a fluent 85 off 51 deliveries, striking 11 fours and two sixes.

Captain David Warner struggled at the top, managing just 11 off 13 balls before being bowled by Raza early in the innings.

Roy, however, kept the scoreboard moving and built short partnerships of 36 and 27 with Salman Ali Agha and Reeza Hendricks, respectively, maintaining Karachi’s momentum through the middle overs.

The real turning point came when Azam Khan joined Roy and counterattacked brilliantly. The Karachi Kings duo added 63 runs in just 32 deliveries, putting Peshawar Zalmi under pressure before Iftikhar Ahmed broke the stand by dismissing Azam for a quickfire 35 off 19 balls.

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Roy soon followed, falling to Mohammad Basit after completing a well-compiled knock that had kept Karachi in control for most of the innings.

From there, the innings collapsed dramatically as no batter managed to offer resistance. Karachi Kings managed to score 182-9 in their 20 overs.

Ali Raza returned in death overs to tear through the lower order, taking his first PSL hat-trick and finishing with four wickets in total. He was supported by Mohammad Basit, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Aaron Hardie, who claimed one wicket each.

READ: Will Nahid Rana, Mustafizur Rahman return to PSL 11?

Notably, in the last outing between the two teams, Zalmi thumped Kings by a massive 159-run margin. The Babar Azam-led franchise set a 247-run target, courtesy of Kusal Mendis’ blistering century.

In response, Karachi Kings were bundled for a mere 87, with Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana and Sufiyan Muqeem claiming three wickets apiece.

READ: WATCH: Lahore Qalandars fulfil cancer-stricken child’s wish to meet Shaheen Afridi

KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi, led by star batter Babar Azam, have officially secured their place in the playoffs of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.

The 2017 champions, currently sitting at the top of the eight-team points table with 13 points from seven matches, confirmed their qualification after Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by six wickets on Friday.

The result ensured that Zalmi’s tally can no longer be overtaken by any side outside the top four by the conclusion of the league phase.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

Zalmi began their campaign with an impressive five-wicket win over debutants Rawalpindiz in a high-scoring encounter.

Their following match against Islamabad United was washed out due to rain, but that proved to be only a minor interruption in what has otherwise been a dominant run.

From there, Zalmi stitched together a series of victories, overcoming Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators in succession to strengthen their grip on the top spot.

With qualification secured, Peshawar Zalmi will now turn their focus towards maintaining form heading into the knockout stages.

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They are scheduled to face Quetta Gladiators next on Sunday before travelling to Lahore for their remaining league fixtures against Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars on April 22 and 25, respectively.

This marks Zalmi’s 10th appearance in the PSL playoffs, underlining their consistency as one of the league’s most competitive sides.

Their only group-stage exit came last season, while their best moment remains the title-winning campaign in 2017. They have also finished as runners-up on three occasions, in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

READ: PSL 11: Glenn Maxwell creates history with rare T20 milestone

KARACHI: Sufiyan Muqeem and Babar Azam propelled the dominant Peshawar Zalmi to a decisive eight-wicket win over Quetta Gladiators in the 23rd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.

Zalmi chased down a mere target of 154 in 18.3 overs, losing only two wickets in the process.

Mohammad Haris and Babar Azam made light work of the chase, adding 75 in 8.4 overs. The former played the core aggressor role while the latter played the second fiddle.

Haris departed after hitting five fours and a six in his 35 from 28 balls.

Following his departure, in-form Kusal Mendis paired up with Babar and stitched a 49-run partnership that threw the Gladiators out of the game. There wasn’t much to cheer for Quetta Gladiators bowlers as Zalmi batters kept them at bay with their stroke play.

Mendis was eventually caught after scoring 21 off 19 balls. Meanwhile, Babar continued to anchor the innings and finished with a boundary.

Catch all the PSL 11 updates here!

He top-scored with 71* from 51 balls laced with 10 fours while Aaron Hardie struck one boundary in his unbeaten 18 from 14 balls.

For Quetta Gladiators, Alzarri Joseph and Saud Shakeel picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Peshawar Zalmi’s spinner Sufiyan Muqeem and pacer Mohammad Basit’s three-wicket haul bundled out Quetta Gladiators for a modest total

Put in to bat first, Quetta Gladiators’ shambolic batting display saw their innings folded for 154 in 20 overs.

The Gladiators lost their promoted opener, Ahsan Ali, for four in the first over.  Following the early wicket, Saud Shakeel and Rilee Rossouw added 35 for the second wicket partnership. The scorecard read 39 when skipper Saud was run out after making 16 from 13 balls.

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Peshawar Zalmi continued to chip away with wickets at regular intervals. Rossouw (26 off 18 balls) was cleaned up by Sufiyan Muqeem, whereas Shamyl Hussain departed for 12.

Consequently, Gladiators were 86-4 in 11.4 overs. The only silver lining was Hassan Nawaz, who top-scored with 37 off 35, including four boundaries.  He was involved in a brief 26-run stand with Khawaja Nafay before getting caught behind.

Nafay could not get going as well and was lbw for 20.

Peshawar Zalmi bowlers squeezed the runs flow and eventually bowled the opposition out on the final ball of the innings.

For Peshawar Zalmi, Sufiyan Muqeem and Mohammad Basit shared six wickets between them.

READ: Rilee Rossouw sets PSL record during Peshawar Zalmi clash

KARACHI: Kusal Mendis half-century and Sufiyan Muqeem’s three-wicket haul helped Peshawar Zalmi ease past Multan Sultans in the 22nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Chasing 197, Multan Sultans batting lineup crumbled under pressure and could only muster 172-8 at the end of 2o overs.

Sahibzada Farhan and Steve Smith were quick off the blocks in the chase, adding 30 in 2.4 overs.  However, Iftikhar Ahmed removed him for 17 to lift Peshawar Zalmi.

Following the wicket, Josh Philippe joined hands with Smith. The pair made the chase look easy, particulary the former who hit 32 from 17, hitting seven fours.

As a result, Multan Sultans were well poised at 85 in 9.3 overs before a double-wicket over from Sufiyan Muqeem changed the momentum. Smith made 31 from 29, including three fours.

It was Muqeem again who provided his side’s breakthrough in the 13th over. Ashton Turner was bowled for 20, leaving the Sultans four down for 123 runs in 13.3 overs.

Meanwhile, Shan Masood tried to put chase back on track with a quick-fire 35 on 19 deliveries, but his dismissal dashed the Sultans’ hopes of winning the game.

For Peshawar Zalmi, Sufiyan Muqeem scalped three, whereas Iftikhar Ahmed took two wickets.

The victory kept Peshawar Zalmi at the top spot with 11 points out of six games.

Earlier, Mohammad Haris’ gritty innings, ably backed by Kusal Mendis half-century, propelled Peshawar Zalmi to a big total

Put into bat first, Peshawar Zalmi racked up 196-6 in their 20 overs.

Mohammad Haris gave a flying start, scoring the bulk of runs in the opening overs, bringing the score to 48 in 4.3 overs. The right-hander took Mohammad Nawaz to the cleaners, accumulating nine and 21 runs in his first and third over, respectively.

Haris (38 off 17) departed to Peter Siddle after hitting three sixes and four boundaries.

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His wicket, however, did not stem the flow of runs as Babar Azam and Farhan Yousuf stitched a brief partnership of 24. The duo brought the score to 72 in 7.5 overs before Nawaz dismissed Babar cheaply.

The skipper made 18 off 20 with the aid of a single boundary.

With Peshawar Zalmi two down, in came youngster Farhan Yousaf, who put on a 63-run stand off 39 balls with Kusal Mendis to put his side into a strong position. The pair brought the team’s total to 135 in 14.2 overs.

Yousaf made 30 from 22 balls with the help of three sixes, while Mendis continued on his merry way and reached his third consecutive half-century.

Peshawar Zalmi eventually ended their innings with a big total on the board. Kusal Mendis top-scored with 68 from 40 balls, including three maximums and six fours.

For Multan Sultans, Muhammad Ismail and Peter Siddle took two wickets each.

READ: Mohammad Haris achieves THIS milestone during Multan Sultans clash

KARACHI: Multan Sultans have won the toss and have decided to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 here at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Head to Head

Both teams have faced each other 16 times. Multan Sultans lead with 11 wins, while Zalmi have managed five wins.

Matches: 16 Multan Sultans: 11 Peshawar Zalmi: 5

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Playing XIs

Peshawar Zalmi XI: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis (wk), Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana

Multan Sultans XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (capt), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Muhammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail, Faisal Akram

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