Zalmi’s Stylish Affair in ‘Shalwar Kameez’ at Karachi Iftar

News Desk 

Karachi: In a captivating turn of events, players from Peshawar Zalmi chose to embrace a distinctive style by donning traditional Pakistani attire, including shalwar kameez and waistcoats, for an iftar dinner held in Karachi on Friday night.

Both local and foreign players of the team adorned themselves in this national dress, which was provided by a local designer for the occasion.

Team coach Darren Sammy and the foreign players expressed their admiration for Pakistan’s national dress during the event.

However, it was observed that Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam was unable to attend the iftar dinner due to personal commitments.

The dinner was hosted at a local hotel in Karachi, lending a cultural flair to the gathering.

Disappointing Exit from PSL9

Quetta Gladiators, the three-time finalists in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), faced a disappointing exit from the tournament in the first eliminator, losing to Islamabad United by 39 runs.

The Gladiators’ batting innings began poorly, losing five wickets within the first five overs. Saud Shakeel, Jason Roy, Riley Russo, Khawaja Nafi, and Lori Evans were all dismissed cheaply, with Imad Wasim being particularly effective, claiming three wickets for just nine runs.

Despite the early setbacks, Umeer bin Yusuf showed resilience by scoring 50 runs, while Aqeel Hussain contributed 31 runs and Muhammad Amir scored 23 runs.H owever, the team was ultimately bowled out for 135 runs in the first 8 balls, sealing their fate in the tournament.

Islamabad United, having won the toss and opted to bat first, posted a competitive total of 174 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their allotted overs.

Martin Guptill top-scored with 56 runs off 47 balls, supported by Naseem Shah’s crucial six on the last ball of the innings. Alex Hales and Martin Guptill provided Islamabad with a solid start, putting on 51 runs in the first 5 overs.

Although Hales departed for 23 runs in the sixth over, Agha Salman’s aggressive innings of 31 runs off 21 balls further strengthened their position.

With this victory, Islamabad United advanced to the second eliminator against Peshawar Zalmi, with the winner set to face Multan Sultans in the final on Monday.

Shadab Khan contributed to the aggressive batting display, scoring a quick 23 runs off just 13 balls before Abrar Ahmed dismissed him, ending the United captain’s innings.

Meanwhile, Azam Khan also chipped in with a brisk 18 runs off 6 balls, while Martin Guptill reached his century from the other end. Islamabad United finished their innings with a total of 155 runs in 17 overs.

Mohammad Amir and Aqeel Hussain were the most successful bowlers for Quetta Gladiators, each claiming two wickets.