Saim Ayub scored a swashbuckling 88 and propelled Peshawar Zalmi to a mammoth total of 211/4 against rock-bottom Lahore Qalandars in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 here at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.
Put into bat first, Zalmi’s batting unit dominated the depleted Qalandars’ bowling attack and racked up a massive total on the board, courtesy of a marathon opening stand.
Zalmi’s openers Babar Azam and Ayub came out all guns blazing against the home side and added 136 runs for the first wicket in just 14.2 overs.
The opening stand remained majorly dominated by Ayub while Azam was rotating the strike.
The skipper had an agonizing end to his anchoring knock, falling victim to his Qalandars’ counterpart Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 15th over, just two runs short of a well-deserved half-century.
Azam scored 48 off 36 deliveries with the help of five boundaries.
Ayub was then joined by hard-hitting batter Rovman Powell in the middle and the duo carried on the momentum.
They added a brisk 39 runs in 16 deliveries before Afridi castled the opener in the 18th over.
Ayub remained the top-scorer for the Zalmi with a 55-ball 88 which featured eight boundaries and four sixes.
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Timed it to perfection 💫
Super Saim kicks on with a super maximum 👏#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #LQvPZ pic.twitter.com/F2rgtI2N0A
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 25, 2024
Following Ayub’s dismissal, Powell took charge of Zalmi’s batting expedition and bolstered their total with a quickfire knock, which lasted on the penultimate delivery of the innings.
He smashed five boundaries and two sixes on his way to a 20-ball 46.
Powell was supported by wicketkeeper batter Mohammad Haris at the backend, who scored an unbeaten 12 off just five deliveries.
Afridi led the bowling attack for the Qalandars with 3/33 while Jahandad Khan made one scalp.