KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi achieved another record run chase in beating Quetta Gladiators by three wickets to continue the batsmen’s domination of bowlers in the Pakistan Super League on Friday.
Multan Sultans earlier registered their first win when they beat Lahore Qalandars by seven wickets. All of the eight round-robin matches so far have been won by the teams batting second.
Peshawar chased down a record 194-run target to beat Multan in its second game and bettered that in reaching 202-7 in 19.3 overs against Quetta.
Quetta, which has lost all three tosses and batted first, achieved the league’s highest total of 198-7 on the back of captain Sarfaraz Ahmed’s blistering 81 off 40 balls.
But even with South Africa’s experienced Dale Steyn (2-44) and Faf du Plessis (37), they couldn’t change Quetta’s fortunes as they lost a third consecutive game and are without a point.
Peshawar was served by Haider Ali, 50 off 29 balls, Sherfane Rutherford, 36 not out off 18 balls, and captain Wahab Riaz, 20 off 8 balls. Wahab slammed three sixes against Steyn in the 19th over which went for 21.
Earlier, Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan impressed again in Multan’s first win.
Rizwan hit 76 off 49 balls — his second half-century in this league — and Pakistan international Sohaib Maqsood made an unbeaten 61 off 41. Multan eased to 159-3 in 16.2 overs in reply to Lahore’s 157-6.
Rizwan and Maqsood shared 110 runs for the third wicket off 65 balls as Lahore badly missed Afghanistan legspinner Rashid Khan, who left for national duty after featuring in his team’s opening two victories.
The only Lahore batsman to flourish was Mohammad Hafeez, who followed unbeaten knocks of 73 and 33 against Quetta and Peshawar with 60 off 35 balls, including five sixes and three boundaries.
West Indies fast bowler Carlos Brathwaite picked up 2-20 and also a maiden over.
Peshawar Zalmi run down Quetta after record chase
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Peshawar Zalmi run down Quetta after record chase
- Multan Sultans earlier registered their first win when they beat Lahore Qalandars by seven wickets
- Quetta achieved the league’s highest total of 198-7
At least 13 civilians killed in Pakistan strikes in Afghanistan, UN says
- Pakistan said it launched the strikes after blaming recent suicide attacks on militants operating from Afghan territory
- The reported toll adds to fears of a renewed cycle of retaliation between the neighbors, threatening a fragile ceasefire
ISLAMABAD/KABUL: At least 13 civilians were killed and seven injured in Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, the United Nations said on Monday, as cross-border tensions escalated following a string of suicide bombings in Pakistan.
The reported toll adds to fears of a renewed cycle of retaliation between the neighbors, threatening a fragile ceasefire along their 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier and further straining ties as both sides trade blame over militant violence.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said it had received “credible reports” that overnight Pakistani airstrikes on February 21–22 killed at least 13 civilians and injured seven in the Behsud and Khogyani districts of Nangarhar province.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid earlier reported dozens killed or wounded in the strikes, which also hit locations in Paktika province. Reuters could not independently verify the reported toll.
Pakistan said it launched the strikes after blaming recent suicide attacks, including during Ramadan, on militants operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan’s information ministry in a post on X said the “intelligence-based” operation struck seven camps of the Pakistani Taliban and Daesh (Islamic State) Khorasan Province and that it had “conclusive evidence” the militant assaults on Pakistan were directed by “Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.”
Kabul has repeatedly denied allowing militants to use Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan.
The strikes took place days after Kabul released three Pakistani soldiers in a Saudi-mediated exchange aimed at easing months of tensions along the border.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry condemned the strikes and called them a violation of sovereignty and international law, saying an “appropriate and measured response will be taken at a suitable time.” The Afghan foreign ministry said it had summoned Pakistan’s ambassador.
In a statement on the February 21-22 strikes, Afghanistan’s education ministry said eight school students; five boys and three girls, were killed in Behsud in Nangarhar province, and one madrasa student injured in Barmal in Paktika province, adding that dozens of other civilians were killed or wounded and educational centers destroyed. Reuters could not independently verify the information.
The latest strikes follow months of clashes and repeated border closures that have disrupted trade and movement along the rugged frontier.
