Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by 118 runs – PSL 2026 Match Report
20th April 2026
Babar Azam scored a run-a-ball hundred and Kusal Mendis added 83 as Peshawar Zalmi posted 255/3 at the National Stadium in Karachi on Sunday. It was never a chase. Quetta Gladiators folded for 137 all out in 18.1 overs, losing by 118 runs in the PSL 2026 29th Match.
Innings 1: Peshawar Zalmi – 255/3 (20 ov)
Mohammad Haris set the tone with 16 off six balls before holing out to Alzarri Joseph in the second over. Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis then built the innings from 30/1 into a batting masterclass. Mendis hit 83 off 44 balls (SR 188.64) with 10 fours and 3 sixes before Usman Tariq got him in the 14th over. Babar finished unbeaten on 100 off 52 balls (SR 192.31) – his century arriving in the last over. Farhan Yousaf added a quick 19 off 8, and Aaron Hardie smashed 26* off 10 (SR 260) to close out the innings.
For Quetta, their bowlers had no answer. Alzarri Joseph took 1/59 off four overs and Jahandad Khan went for 53 without a wicket. None of their six bowlers went at under 11 an over bar Abrar Ahmed, who conceded 11 per over himself.
Innings 2: Quetta Gladiators – 137/10 (18.1 ov)
Quetta needed a flying start to have any hope and instead lost two wickets for 22 runs in the fourth over. Saud Shakeel went for 12 off 10, then Rilee Rossouw fell for a golden duck to Mohammad Basit. Hasan Nawaz went cheaply, and at 36/3 after five overs, the contest was over. Bevon Jacobs resisted with 34 off 27, but wickets kept falling. Ali Raza cleaned up the tail with 3/9 off 3.1 overs to finish the match in the 19th over.
For Peshawar, Mohammad Basit led the attack with 3/26 off four overs (Econ 6.50), supported by Ali Raza 3/9 and Aaron Hardie 2/11 off two overs.
Statz MVP: Ali Raza – 79.6/100
Ali Raza tops the Statz Rating table with 79.6 out of 100. Three wickets for nine runs off 3.1 overs at an economy of 2.90 – clinical, devastating, and completely in keeping with what was a one-sided second innings. The official Player of the Match went to Oliver Davidson.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Ali Raza (PZ) – 79.6 | 3/9 off 3.1 overs, Econ 2.90
- Aaron Hardie (PZ) – 61.5 | 26* off 10b (SR 260) + 2/11 off 2 overs
- Babar Azam (PZ) – 58.9 | 100* off 52b, SR 192.31, 6 fours 4 sixes
- Mohammad Basit (PZ) – 52.5 | 3/26 off 4 overs, Econ 6.50
- Kusal Mendis (PZ) – 50.6 | 83 off 44b, SR 188.64, 10 fours 3 sixes
Turning Point
The double strike in the fourth over – Saud Shakeel out to Basit, then Rossouw duck-balled first ball – killed the chase before it started. Quetta went from 22/1 to 22/3 inside two deliveries. From that point, 255 was an impossibility.
Match Context
The 118-run margin tells the story of a Peshawar Zalmi side clicking at both ends. The win strengthens their position in the PSL 2026 standings with the playoff spots tightening up. Quetta Gladiators will need a sharp response in their remaining fixtures. PSL leading run scorer is Kusal Mendis on 413 runs – this ton brings his tournament on into even sharper focus – while Sufiyan Muqeem leads the wicket-takers chart on 17.