Babar Azam delivered an outstanding performance, scoring a brilliant century as Peshawar Zalmi triumphed over Islamabad United by 70 runs in the PSL Qualifier, marking their first final appearance since 2021. On the other hand, Islamabad will now have to navigate through Eliminator 2 for another chance at the title. After being asked to bat, Zalmi took full advantage of the conditions in Karachi, amassing a total of 221 for 7, with Babar leading the charge from start to finish. His impressive 59-ball 103 featured 12 fours and four sixes, leaving Islamabad with little opportunity to recover after a costly beginning. Mohammad Haris set the tone early on with a quickfire 16-ball 35, partnering with Babar to put together a solid 72-run partnership in just 38 balls. Islamabad found themselves under immediate pressure as Zalmi racked up 68 runs in the Powerplay, their highest conceded in that phase this season. Also Read | Record-Breaking Knock Sees Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Become IPL’s Top Scorer Once Haris was dismissed, Babar continued to take control alongside Kusal Mendis. The duo formed an 84-run partnership for the second wicket, maintaining a brisk scoring rate throughout the middle overs. Mendis contributed 41 off 26 before falling in the 15th over, but by that point, Zalmi had already established a strong foundation. Shadab Khan briefly brought Islamabad back into the game by taking out Michael Bracewell and Abdul Samad in consecutive deliveries, but Zalmi kept their momentum going. Babar reached his century in the 18th over, bringing his season total to 588 runs, tying the record for the highest run tally in a single PSL edition. Aaron Hardie chipped in with a late 20 off 10 balls, ensuring the total surpassed 220. Islamabad started their chase positively with Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas, who put on 58 runs in just five overs to keep hopes alive. However, once Conway fell for 20 and Sameer followed with a quick 44 off 23 balls in the ninth over, the innings began to fall apart. From a promising 81 for 2, Islamabad crumbled to 114 for 7 as Zalmi's bowlers tightened their grip. Hardie and Sufiyan Muqeem struck consistently during the middle overs, leaving the lower order with a daunting task. Imad Wasim managed to score 22 lower down the order, but Islamabad was ultimately bow