Continuing their impressive PSL form, Peshawar Zalmi produced another all-round performance, beating Multan Sultans by 24 runs at National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Monday.
The league leaders restricted Multan to 172 for eight after posting 196 for six in 20 overs.
With the comprehensive win, Peshawar Zalmi are now leading the table with 11 points from six matches, three points ahead of second-placed Multan.
Three-time champions Islamabad United remain in third place with seven points from six matches, while Karachi Kings are occupying the fourth place six points from five matches.
The top four teams in the eight-team league will advance to the playoffs.
On Monday, it was explosive Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis who set up Zalmi’s win with a fine 68 off 40 balls.
Opener Mohammad Haris (38 off 17 balls) earlier gave the team a flying start, but after his fall, it was Mendis who played the decisive role with the bat.
Defending the total, Zalmi turned to Sufyan Moqim (4-0-30-3) and Iftikhar Ahmed (4-0-32-2) and the two spinners broke the back of Multan’s batting.
With Shan Masood as the top-scorer with 35, none of the Multan batters managed to convert their starts.
Australian star Steve Smith (32) and his compatriot, Joshua Ryan Philippe (31), were also guilty of not converting their starts
Sufiyan, who is leading the bowling charts with 13 wickets in the tournament, was named man-of-the-match for his three-wicket haul.
Brief scores:
Peshawar Zalmi beat Multan Sultans by 24 runs at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Peshawar Zalmi 196-6, 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 68, Mohammad Haris 38, Farhan Yousaf 30; Mohammad Ismail 2-22, Peter Siddle 2-29)
Multan Sultans 172-8, 20 overs (Shan Masood 35, Josh Phillipe 32, Steve Smith 31, Ashton Turner 20; Sufyan Moqim 3-30, Nahid Rana 2-24, Iftikhar Ahmed 2-32)
Player of the Match: Sufyan Moqim (Peshawar Zalmi)
Source: Khaleej Times