Islamabad United choose to field first against Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 11 qualifier

KARACHI: Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier at the National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.

The match pits two sides with an even record against each other in PSL history. According to the available figures, Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi have met 27 times in the tournament, with both teams winning 13 matches each, while one fixture in the ongoing 11th edition ended without a result.

Both teams came into the qualifier with comparable recent form, although their immediate results differed. Peshawar Zalmi had suffered only one defeat in their last five completed matches, while Islamabad United had registered three wins in their last three outings.

Zalmi entered the contest after a six-wicket loss to defending champions Lahore Qalandars, a result that brought an end to their nine-match winning streak. Islamabad United, meanwhile, were coming off successive emphatic wins over Hyderabad Kingsmen and Multan Sultans.

Recent form

Peshawar Zalmi’s last five completed results were: L, W, W, W, W, with the most recent match listed first. Islamabad United’s corresponding sequence was: W, W, L, W, L.

The fixture also carried added significance because the two teams had already been closely matched over the course of the season and across their PSL history. With the head-to-head record level before the start of play, the qualifier offered one side the chance to move ahead in that rivalry.

Squads

Peshawar Zalmi named Babar Azam (c), Sufiyan Muqeem, Abdul Samad, Ali Raza, Aaron Hardie, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Haris, Khalid Usman, Abdul Subhan, Tanzid Hasan, Michael Bracewell, Kusal Mendis, Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, Kashif Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Farhan Yousuf, Brian Bennett, Mohammad Basit, James Vince and Shoriful Islam in their squad.

Islamabad United’s squad comprised Shadab Khan (c), Salman Irshad, Andries Gous, Devon Conway, Faheem Ashraf, Mehran Mumtaz, Mark Chapman, Nisar Ahmed, Mir Hamza Sajjad, Sameen Gul, Sameer Minhas, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hasnain, Pavan Rathnayake, Mohammad Faiq, Mohsin Riaz, Chris Green and Mohammad Salman Mirza.

The qualifier brought together two of the competition’s stronger-performing teams, with Zalmi seeking to bounce back from their latest defeat and United aiming to build on momentum from consecutive victories.