Nahid’s raw pace rips as Peshawar choke Mustafizur’s Lahore

Bangladesh speedster Nahid Rana once again shattered a batting order with sheer pace, with compatriot Shoriful Islam as support as Peshawar Zalmi steamrolled Lahore Qalandars by 76 runs in the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

The win vaulted Zalmi to the top of the points table and underlined their bowling firepower.

Asked to bat first after losing the toss, Zalmi rode key knocks from skipper Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis. Babar anchored the innings with a measured 43 off 40 balls, while Mendis unleashed a blistering 74 off 48 to power Zalmi to 173 for seven.

Lahore captain Shaheen Shah Afridi struck back with three wickets in four overs. Bangladesh left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman kept things tight, finishing with two wickets for 30 runs.

The chase unravelled instantly.

Shoriful struck in his first over, removing Mohammad Naeem for one and setting the tone. Then came Nahid to the attack.

The 23-year-old unleashed raw pace to break Lahore’s spine, grabbing two wickets in three overs as Qalandars crashed to eight down inside 70.

Shoriful stayed miserly at the other end, conceding little and strangling the run flow.

Lahore badly missed the injured Parvez Hossain Emon in the middle-order as the collapse gathered pace.

The innings folded for 97, with Mustafizur striking a lone boundary in the final act of resistance.