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KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi, led by star batter Babar Azam, have officially secured their place in the playoffs of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
The 2017 champions, currently sitting at the top of the eight-team points table with 13 points from seven matches, confirmed their qualification after Quetta Gladiators defeated Lahore Qalandars by six wickets on Friday.
The result ensured that Zalmi’s tally can no longer be overtaken by any side outside the top four by the conclusion of the league phase.
Zalmi began their campaign with an impressive five-wicket win over debutants Rawalpindiz in a high-scoring encounter.
Their following match against Islamabad United was washed out due to rain, but that proved to be only a minor interruption in what has otherwise been a dominant run.
From there, Zalmi stitched together a series of victories, overcoming Hyderabad Kingsmen, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators in succession to strengthen their grip on the top spot.
With qualification secured, Peshawar Zalmi will now turn their focus towards maintaining form heading into the knockout stages.
They are scheduled to face Quetta Gladiators next on Sunday before travelling to Lahore for their remaining league fixtures against Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars on April 22 and 25, respectively.
This marks Zalmi’s 10th appearance in the PSL playoffs, underlining their consistency as one of the league’s most competitive sides.
Their only group-stage exit came last season, while their best moment remains the title-winning campaign in 2017. They have also finished as runners-up on three occasions, in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
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