Babar Blames Early Bowling, Lack of Stands for Loss to Gladiators

Peshawar Zalmi skipper Babar Azam has cited poor bowling in the powerplay and a lack of key partnerships as the main reasons behind his side’s defeat to Quetta Gladiators at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Speaking after the match, Azam acknowledged that his team conceded too many runs early on, which tilted the game in the Gladiators’ favour. “We gave away too many runs in the powerplay, which cost us the match,” he said.

He also noted a shift in pitch behaviour that added to Zalmi’s batting woes in the second innings. “The pitch slowed down in the second innings, which made it difficult to bat,” he explained.

While lamenting the lack of meaningful stands during the run chase, Azam pointed out that the only notable partnership came between Saim Ayub and Hussain Talat. “We could not stitch any partnership other than the one between Saim and Talat,” he said.

Despite the loss, the Zalmi captain reserved special praise for young opener Saim Ayub, who marked his return to competitive cricket with a confident half-century. “Saim Ayub has batted brilliantly. It is heartening to see him in form,” Babar added.

The loss comes as a setback for Peshawar Zalmi, who are aiming to secure a stronger position on the points table in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season.