In a close match between Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL), Zalmi’s Saim Ayub came out as the hero with a blistering 88 off just 55 balls, guiding his team to a big total. 

However, Qalandars’ star batter Fakhar Zaman continued to grapple with a poor run of form, raising concerns.

Speaking after the match, Qalandars’ captain Shaheen Shah Afridi expressed optimism about Zaman’s potential to reignite team’s batting power.

“If Fakhar can get runs at the top, then the batters to follow can go a bit more aggressive, that’s one thing we are hoping for. The batters in the middle are doing fine,” Shaheen said.

Meanwhile, Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, shared insights into his conversation with Saim, whose recent innings marked a significant turnaround after a string of underwhelming performances. 

“Good to see Saim perform. He struggled in the first 3 matches. I spoke to him and told him ‘believe in yourself, see the ball and play it, don’t overthink – you are the best so believe in yourself'” Babar said.

It is worth noting that Saim’s belligerent batting effort for Zalmi helped ensure a second win for the team in HBL PSL 9 as Rassie van der Dussen’s unbeaten century went in vain after Qalandars fell eight short of the 212-run target on Sunday night at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore.