Sahibzada Farhan struck his first-ever Pakistan Super League century to lead Islamabad United to a crushing 102-run win over Peshawar Zalmi in their second-round fixture of the HBL PSL X at the Pindi Stadium on Monday night.
Farhan blasted 106 from just 52 balls to help United post a massive total of 243-5 after choosing to bat first.
United’s bowlers then wrapped up Zalmi for 141 in the 19th over, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris top-scoring with a fighting 87 off 47 balls.
Zalmi’s chase fell apart early. The side lost three quick wickets for just 26 runs.
Left-arm pacer Ben Dwarshuis gave United a major breakthrough by removing captain Babar Azam for just one run. Jason Holder held a sharp catch at slip, diving to his right.
Babar had also been dismissed for a duck in Zalmi’s previous game against Quetta.
Mitchell Owen followed soon after, trapped lbw by Imad Wasim for 10, an innings that included one six and a four.
Naseem Shah then got rid of the dangerous Saim Ayub with a slower bouncer. Ayub mistimed his shot and was caught at deep square-leg by Mohammad Saad for six.
Zalmi kept losing wickets.
Imad returned to dismiss Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who made just eight off 10 balls. Jason Holder then removed Hussain Talat for 13 off 13 to leave Zalmi at 91-5 after 11 overs.
Rookie leg-spinner Saad Masood claimed his first PSL wicket by dismissing George Linde for a duck. Shadab Khan then removed Alzarri Joseph for 2 and bowled Sufiyan Muqeem for 1 in quick succession.
Imad came back to take the key wicket of Haris before Dwarshuis wrapped things up by removing Mohammad Ali for 3.
Haris brought up his fifty from 28 balls. He struck four sixes and 12 fours in his highest-ever PSL score, surpassing his previous best of 85.
Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers with 3-26 from four overs. Shadab Khan took 2-29 and Dwarshuis 2-23.
It was Zalmi’s second straight loss in the tournament.
Earlier, United’s innings was powered by Farhan’s spectacular knock.
The Charsadda-born opener reached his fifty in 26 balls and brought up his hundred in 49. He hit five sixes and 13 fours.
In the fifth over, he hit Ali Raza for three fours and a six to collect 22 runs. He later smashed Sufiyan Muqeem for two fours and a six in the ninth over, which went for 16.
Farhan timed the ball well and improvised cleverly to keep the bowlers under pressure.
United lost US-born opener Andries Gous early. He was run out for a duck after facing just two balls.
Farhan then took charge, sharing a 144-run partnership with Colin Munro — the second-highest second-wicket stand in PSL history. Munro scored 40 off 27 with one six and six fours before falling to Joseph in the 14th over. Farhan was dismissed in the same over, caught in the deep by Talat.
Azam Khan hit two sixes in a nine-ball 16 before falling to Talat. Agha Salman added a quick 30 from 15 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours before being caught by Kohler-Cadmore off Talat. The catch was confirmed after review.
Jason Holder contributed 20 not out off 11 balls, with two fours and a six. Dwarshuis added an unbeaten 18 off six balls, also hitting two fours and a six.
It was United’s second-highest total in PSL history.
Joseph and Talat were Zalmi’s most successful bowlers, taking two wickets each for 39 runs. Ali Raza was the most expensive, conceding 45 runs in three overs.
United scored 73-1 in the powerplay and added 70 runs in the final five overs to finish strong.
