Islamabad United race to victory over Peshawar Zalmi

Babar Azam made an unbeaten half century for Zalmi but he had precious little support as Islamabad dominated

Karachi: Peshawar Zalmi 156-8, Islamabad United 159-4 - Islamabad United win by six wickets

Islamabad United have picked up their second win of the Pakistan Super League season by routing Peshawar Zalmi with 31 balls to spare.

Babar Azam carried his bat for Peshawar as his teammates crumbled around him, but Islamabad made a mockery of their total by knocking of the 159 runs needed for victory in the fifteenth over.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (62) and Rassie van der Dussen (42) ensured their side made light work of the target, with Asif Ali smashing an unbeaten 29 in just 13 deliveries to add icing to the cake.

The win was set up in the first half, though, as Zalmi somehow collapsed after Mohammad Haris fell for a rapid 40 in just the seventh over.

They would go on to lose 4 for 18 in no time at all as the middle order departed as quickly as it arrived, with Saim Ayub, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Rovman Powell and Jimmy Neesham contributing 10 runs between them.

^{Rahmanullah Gurbaz made a half century for Islamabad (Asif Hassa/AFP via Getty Images)}

Dasun Shanaka (11) did at least stay with Babar (75*) for long enough to take Zalmi past 120, but by then the innings had fallen away dismally.

Hasan Ali did the bulk of the damage, accounting for Kohler-Cadmore, Powell and Neesham, while Shadab Khan claimed the key breakthrough of Haris in a wily spell of leg-spin.

Colin Munro fell to Arshad Iqbal for just nine in reply, but by then Islamabad were already 31 for 1 in the third over.

Gurbaz departed to Usman Qadir to end a sparkling 31-ball cameo that included 52 runs in boundaries, with Ali finishing off a job that moves Islamabad ahead of Lahore Qalandars into second place.

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