Babar Azam Century and Ali Raza Triple-Strike Help Peshawar Defeat Quetta by 118 Runs

KARACHI: In what can only be described as a lopsided demolition, Peshawar Zalmi outclassed the Quetta Gladiators by 118 runs at the National Stadium. While Babar Azam’s majestic 100* set a skyscraper of a target at 255/3, it was the systematic dismantling of the Quetta batting lineup that caused a huge defeat.

Chasing a daunting 12.8 runs per over, the Gladiators’ innings never found its rhythm, resembling a frantic scramble rather than a calculated pursuit. The tone was set early by Ali Raza, whose opening spell was nothing short of lethal. Raza’s triple-strike (3 for 9) ripped the heart out of the Quetta top order, leaving them reeling at 42-4 within the powerplay. The Gladiators’ big hitters, usually so reliable, were hurried by the extra bounce and local heat, mistiming lofted shots into the waiting hands of Zalmi’s clinical outfielders.

Bevon Jacobs emerged as the lone warrior in a collapsing fort. His 34 off 27 balls provided a brief flicker of hope, punctuated by a couple of defiant sixes over mid-wicket. However, the pressure of a rising required rate proved too heavy. When Jacobs eventually holed out to long-on off the bowling of Mohammad Basit Ali, the last shred of Quetta's resistance evaporated.

Basit Ali (3/26) and Sufiyan Muqeem (1/34) exploited the scoreboard pressure perfectly, drying up the boundaries and forcing errors from the lower order. The Gladiators’ tail offered little resistance, with the final wickets falling in a heap as they were bundled out for a meager 137 in 18.1 overs.

This defeat marks a difficult week for the Purple Force, who have now lost twice to Zalmi in four days. For Peshawar, the victory is a perfect synergy of Babar’s batting brilliance and a bowling unit that refused to give Quetta an inch of breathing room.