United were on course as Azam Khan and Colin Munro hit 70s, but the penultimate over derailed the chase completely

AP27-Feb-2024Peshawar Zalmi rode on Babar Azam’s century and legspinner Arif Yaqoob’s four-wicket over to beat Islamabad United by eight runs in the PSL on Monday in Lahore.Babar smashed 111 not out off just 63 balls with 14 fours and two sixes and anchored Zalmi to 201 for 5. United were on course to upstage Babar’s masterful 11th T20 century as Azam Khan (75) and Colin Munro (71) combined in an electrifying century stand. But United lost six wickets off the last 13 balls and stumbled to 193 for 9.Yaqoob left two-time champion United shell-shocked after taking four wickets in the penultimate over, that included the key wicket of Munro. Yaqoob finished with 5 for 27.It was Zalmi’s second win in a high-scoring contest in two days after they beat Lahore Qalandars by the same margin on Sunday. Zalmi now have three successive wins in the last four days. United have lost three in a row.Naveen-ul-Haq ignited United’s collapse off his final ball in the 18th over when Azam Khan was caught at mid-off. Yaqoob then bowled one of the most memorable overs in PSL history by dismissing Munro, Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Hunain Shah.Earlier, after being put in to bat, Zalmi was tied down in the middle overs by spinners Shadab Khan (2 for 28) and Agha Salman (1 for 25) until Babar plundered the faster bowlers. Babar reached his half-century off 39 balls and completed his fastest T20 hundred in the next 20 balls. He smashed fast bowler Hunain for four boundaries and a six over extra cover in one over.