KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi continued their dominant run in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 with a crushing eight-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in the 23rd match of the season, played here at the National Bank Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest target of 155 runs, Zalmi reached 156 for the loss of just two wickets in 18.3 overs, winning the contest with nine balls to spare.
Peshawar Zalmi wins their fifth consecutive #HBLPSL11 game against Quetta Gladiators by eight wickets.#NewEra | #PZvQG pic.twitter.com/Clel9kAnyF
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 15, 2026
Gladiators Innings: Spinners restrict Quetta to 154
Earlier, Quetta Gladiators were bundled out for 154 runs in exactly 20 overs after Zalmi captain Babar Azam won the toss and opted to field first.
Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was the pick of the bowlers, claiming three crucial wickets for just 25 runs in his four overs. Mohammad Basit also impressed with figures of 3 for 36, while Iftikhar Ahmed chipped in with one wicket.
Hasan Nawaz top-scored for Quetta with a cautious 37 off 35 balls, while Rilee Rossouw (26 off 18) and Khawaja Nafay (20 off 13) provided brief resistance. However, regular wickets prevented any substantial partnership, with the last five wickets falling for just 42 runs.
Skipper Babar Azam brings up his 100th half-century in T20 cricket✨#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #PZvQG pic.twitter.com/uEgwIgC9iB
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 15, 2026
Zalmi Innings: Babar anchors smooth chase
In response, Peshawar Zalmi made light work of the target. Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 71 off 51 balls, anchoring the chase with precision and composure. His innings included 10 elegant boundaries.
Opening batter Mohammad Haris provided a quickfire start with 35 off 28 balls, while Kusal Mendis contributed 21. Aaron Hardie finished the game in style with an unbeaten 18 off 14 deliveries.
Babar and Haris bring up their 50-partnership in 5th over!🏏#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #PZvQG pic.twitter.com/fzXaBUGIgU
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 15, 2026
Quetta’s bowlers had little to celebrate, with skipper Saud Shakeel and Alzarri Joseph taking one wicket each, but the total proved far insufficient against Zalmi’s deep batting lineup.
The victory further strengthens Peshawar Zalmi’s position at the top of the PSL 2026 points table, while Quetta Gladiators face an uphill battle to keep their playoff hopes alive.
