Babar, Sadaqat, bowlers hand United second successive loss

Peshawar Zalmi put together one of the best bowling performances of PSL 2025 to restrict the usually free-flowing Islamabad United to 143 before cantering to a six-wicket victory. Mohammad Ali's 3 for 26 was the pick, but each of the four frontline bowlers conceded only between 26 and 29 in their allotted overs and picked up wickets to set up a straightforward chase.

Zalmi wobbled at the start of the chase, though, losing three quick wickets, before a 102-run stand between Maaz Sadaqat and Babar Azam, both of whom scored half-centuries, saw Zalmi canter to a win that kept their playoffs hopes alive and well.

Things looked much less certain after the first few overs of the second innings. Mitchell Owen, promoted to open the batting, slapped the first ball for six before falling the next delivery to Kyle Mayers. Ben Dwarshuis, meanwhile, drew the off-colour Saim Ayub into chopping on cheaply and just before the end of the powerplay, Mohammad Haris misread a slower delivery. Zalmi were suddenly 38 for 3 with Babar looking scratchy and the three most established power-hitters back in the pavilion.

But the bowlers had left them a relatively straightforward task, and the asking rate was still below eight. Sadaqat broke the shackles with a pair of elegant boundaries, getting off to a quick start that allowed Babar to play at his own, more sedate, pace. In under-par chases, Babar's reliability makes him a vital asset, and as the gas began to wheeze out of United's attack, the chase began to look easy.

By the end, Babar's old confidence was back, stepping outside the line and whacking Naseem Shah over mid-off before easing to his second half-century this season. While Naseem did coax Sadaqat into an edge to remove him before the end, Zalmi were on the cusp, getting over the line when Max Bryant eased Dwarshuis towards midwicket.

That the chase looked easy, though, was down to a superb showing with ball in hand after Zalmi had lost the toss. Both sides made four changes, but it was Zalmi's bowlers who appeared the most inspired. While three overs in the middle of the powerplay yielded 39 runs and United did get themselves up to 57 without the loss of a wicket, they couldn't find the strokeplay that characterises their brand as frequently.

It wasn't until the eighth over that the first wicket fell, but by then, United were already being dragged back. The run rate had dipped below seven, and Ahmed Daniyal drew a false shot from Sahibzada Farhan - the opener scored 36 in 35 balls. That first wicket brought a flurry more, with Mohammad Ali getting his first when Mayers, who had opened the batting, fell in the tenth over after scoring a workman-like 18. Ayub's carrom ball got the better of Salman Agha, and to make things worse, Shadab Khan would later be forced off the field for the entire game with what looked like a hip injury.

Before that, he looked bright in an eight-ball cameo, but when Alzarri Joseph's short delivery grew big on him, it brought about a wicket which would be the first of three in eight balls. It was a case of every bowler doing their job, including the part-timers Ayub and Hussain Talat, whose combined four overs allowed just 30 runs for two wickets. With no release valve, United's uninspired innings limped to 143. Even for a side of their quality, it never looked like being enough to prevent a second successive loss.