KARACHI: If Islamabad United are HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) royalty, Peshawar Zalmi are the dream team of the ongoing season. The sides, respective champions of the first two editions of the competition, lock horns at the National Bank Stadium in the Qualifier here on Tuesday.

The winner shall make it to the final. The loser, though, will have a second bite at the cherry in the Eliminator.

In the decade-long history of the tournament, United repeated their title-winning feat twice since their run for the maiden title. Zalmi, meanwhile, have not even featured in a final for the last five years.

This season, however, the “Yellow Storm” has taken over with brute force, winning eight of their 10 matches in the league stage to finish top of the table ahead of the playoffs -- their last fixture, against Lahore Qalandars, their only loss.

One match ended without a result for the Babar Azam-led side, with rain washing out their clash against United only in the early stages of the season.

Scheduled to play only once against each other in the league stage this time, the two teams finally have the chance to fight for not only a place in the decider, but the tag of the strongest team of this season as well.

While Zalmi have dominated nearly throughout, United have had hiccups, but have shown their ability to fight back after each setback.

Captained by Shadab Khan, their four-wicket win over Multan Sultans on Sunday to book the Qualifier spot along with their eight-wicket drubbing of Hyderabad Kingsmen earlier were statement victories.

But if it is about making a statement, no opportunity to do so can get bigger than the Qualifier against Zalmi, who have managed to build a near-flawless team combination.

Babar is in the midst of it all, sandwiched between the explosive Mohammad Haris and the impeccable Kusal Mendis, the leading run-scorer of the tournament with 500 to his name, just 15 more than Babar.

Getting rid of that heavily-loaded top-order brings forth Michael Bracewell’s power, Aaron Hardie’s ruthlessness and the belligerence of Abdul Samad and Iftikhar Ahmed, who has been impressive with the ball as well.

He links the batting line with a bowling attack featuring the fiery Ali Raza — the pacer becoming the youngest Pakistan player to take a T20 hat-trick against Karachi Kings recently — newcomer Mohammad Basit and especially left-arm wrist spinner Sufiyan Muqeem, the highest wicket-taker this season with 19 to his name.

What brought Zalmi to the Qualifier, however, won’t mean anything if it is not emulated in the match, according to the team’s bowling coach Azhar Mahmood.

“It is true that we have been playing good cricket, but we still need to continue that if we are to win the tournament,” said the former Pakistan all-rounder, who was a part of the United coaching staff last season.

“I’ve worked with United and I know the players inside-out, worked with a few in the Pakistan team [as Test coach], so there is definitely an advantage and a slight edge,” Azhar admitted, adding that the Zalmi players would still need to execute the plans based on the available insights.

United, who preferred golf over training unlike Zalmi on the eve of the Qualifier, however, would place their bets on batters Sameer Minhas — the Pakistan U-19 sensation — and the dangerous Mohsin Riaz up top along with the reliable New Zealander Devon Conway.

Then there would be the likes of Mark Chapman and Shadab Khan — who did well against the Sultans on Sunday — for Zalmi to deal with ahead of their seasoned attack featuring Imad Wasim, Salman Irshad and spinner Chris Green.

“It’s shaping up to be a really exciting match, and I’m looking forward to the challenge, especially bowling against a strong batting line-up,” Green told reporters on Sunday about playing against Zalmi. “They have a lot of quality players, and we’ll be aiming to restrict them to a low total while taking wickets along the way.”

The National Bank Stadium has been home to two nearly opposite kind of pitches this season; one of them a batting paradise, the other a sluggish, bowling friendly surface. The former is likely to favour Zalmi, but if the latter is to host the Qualifier, it may deliver a thrilling encounter.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2026