At the toss, Quetta Gladiators’ captain Saud Shakeel aimed for a 180-200 total, while Peshawar Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam decided to bowl first on the fresh surface.
Batting first, Quetta Gladiators posted a strong total of 178/7. Their innings was built on partnerships, starting with a 46-run opening stand between Finn Allen (31 off 16 balls) and Saud Shakeel (32 off 26 balls). Rilee Rossouw added 27 off 18 balls, while Kusal Mendis (32 off 27) and Mark Chapman (33 off 26) also made valuable contributions. Alzarri Joseph was the pick of the bowlers for Zalmi, taking 3 wickets for 33 runs, while Saim Ayub took 2 wickets and Luke Wood got 1 wicket.
Chasing 179, Peshawar Zalmi struggled against the Gladiators’ disciplined bowling attack. They were bundled out for just 114 runs in 15.2 overs. Hussain Talat top-scored with 39 runs off 34 balls, while Babar Azam (12), Mohammad Haris (17), and Mitch Owen (15) were the only others to reach double figures.
Faheem Ashraf led the bowling attack with a brilliant 5-wicket haul, conceding just 33 runs in 3.2 overs. Khurram Shahzad picked up 2 wickets, while Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, and Mohammad Wasim Jr. shared one wicket each.
With this comprehensive performance, Quetta Gladiators clinched a dominant 64-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi.
