Islamabad United was dealt a crushing defeat at the hands of Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier match played at the National Stadium in Karachi. Peshawar Zalmi set a target of 222 runs for Islamabad United, who batted first after winning the toss. The team, led by captain Babar Azam, put up an impressive 221 runs in 20 overs, losing 7 wickets. Babar Azam scored his fourth century in the PSL, amassing 103 runs with 4 sixes and 12 fours. Other notable contributors included Kushal Mendis (41), Mohammad Haris (35), and Aaron Hardie (20).
Islamabad United’s Shadab Khan took 3 wickets, while Richard Gleeson and Salman Mirza took 2 and 1 wicket respectively. In a pre-match press conference, Islamabad United captain Shadab Khan expressed his excitement at the arrival of the spectators, saying the match would be a thrilling one. Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam, on the other hand, said that the pitch was dry and his team would aim to score a good total. He also appreciated the permission granted to fans to enter the stadium, saying that his team would play good cricket to entertain the spectators.
The winning team, Peshawar Zalmi, will qualify for the final, while the losing team will face the winner of the eliminator 1 match. Peshawar Zalmi currently has 17 points, topping the group, while Islamabad United has 13 points in second place.
The Islamabad United team consists of captain Shadab Khan, Devon Conway, Saim Ayub, Musa Khan, Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imam-ul-Haq, Muhammad Hasnain, and Richard Gleeson. Peshawar Zalmi’s team includes captain Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Kushal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Salman Irshad, Usman Qadir, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dhani, Saifuddin, and Shaheen Afridi.
In other news, Pakistan’s wrestlers have put up an impressive performance at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, securing two medals. Anas Butt and Asadullah reached the final round.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer has been in exceptional form, leading his team to the top of the points table. He has scored 186 runs at a strike rate of 70.
The first qualifier match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) will be played between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United in Karachi today. Former Australian captain David Warner has advised Pakistani cricketers to join the Indian Premier League (IPL) instead of the PSL.
The sale of tickets for the PSL qualifier match has been suspended due to some issues. The match will be the top team Peshawar Zalmi against the second team Islamabad United.
The UEFA U-16 Development Tournament has seen Pakistan’s team put up a commendable performance against Russia, although they lost 2-1. Pakistan’s players have shown impressive skills against the Russian team.
Bangladesh has defeated New Zealand in the first T20 match, winning the three-match series 1-0. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Rameez Raja has announced that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, has allowed spectators to attend all three playoff matches. A closing ceremony will be held on the final match day.
Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has requested the Chief Minister of Punjab, Marium Nawaz, to increase the timings of fitness and health activities.
