PSL: Babar Azam, Hussain Talat steer Zalmi to comfortable win over Lahore Qalandars
Surviving early scare
Chasing 130, Zalmi were rocked early, losing three wickets inside five overs to an inspired opening burst from Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf. At 40 for 3, the visitors looked vulnerable — but Babar and Talat calmly turned the tide with an unbroken 93-run stand for the fourth wicket, sealing victory with 20 balls to spare.
Earlier, Alzarri Joseph and Luke Wood tore through the Qalandars' top order after they were asked to bat, reducing them to 21 for 4. Only Sikandar Raza showed resistance, scoring a gritty 52 off 37 balls. His knock, along with some lower-order resilience, helped the hosts post 129 — a total that looked below par but briefly threatened to test Zalmi.
Babar survived a close LBW call in the final over of the Powerplay — overturned by DRS — before regaining control with a trademark drive through third. That moment marked a shift in momentum as the Qalandars' intensity waned.
Talat, not known for brute power, found his rhythm under no scoreboard pressure. Babar milked the gaps, handled Rishad Hossain's spin with ease, and eased to a 37-ball fifty. Talat finished the job with back-to-back boundaries off Haris Rauf, bringing up both the win and his own half-century.
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