PSL8 Baber vs Shaheen

Babar vs Shaheen: 'Everyone knows that Shaheen will hit the wickets in the first over but nobody can do anything

Unlike other T20 leagues, the special thing about Pakistan Super League is that instead of international players in the tournament, the fans eagerly wait for the talkers of Pakistani players.

One such match was witnessed between Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and a 'house full' stadium and fans watching the match on TV were not disappointed at all.

Babar Azam is a consistent batsman in T20 cricket who also managed to win the ICC Player of the Year award last year while Shaheen Shah Afridi was given this award for the year 2021.

The first match of this PSL season was being played in Lahore today and people from all over the city came to support the home team against Peshawar Zalmi.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is famous for taking a wicket in his very first over. They usually get this wicket through a yorker. This is known to all the batsmen in the world but still, most of the batsmen seem unable to stop them.

Even today, when the young wicketkeeper Muhammad Haris came in front of him in the first over, he was bowled on Shaheen's first ball, but the second ball was a yorker on which Haris failed and was bowled.

In the very next over, Babar and Shaheen came face to face. Shaheen's first ball to Babar was pitched on a length and straight to which Babar played a beautiful straight drive.

🦅🆚👑

The riveting battle between two of the finest cricketers in the world 💫#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray | #LQvPZ pic.twitter.com/svSx7KcUn4

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 26, 2023

However, on the very next ball, Shaheen Afridi bowled Babar Azam at about the same length which was in-swinged and Babar was bowled. The expression on Babar's face after his dismissal was telling that he had been outclassed by a world-class bowler.

After dismissing both the openers at the start, Lahore Qalandars' chances of losing were very low as they set Peshawar Zalmi a target of 242 runs in the first innings.

Unlike Peshawar, Lahore Qalandars opener Fakhar Zaman played a smoky game and played an inning of 96 runs with the help of 10 sixes and three fours. He was supported by Abdullah Shafiq who scored 71 runs with the help of five sixes and five fours and managed to provide Lahore with the best platform.

Lahore scored just 36 runs in the powerplay but the situation changed from then on and Sam Billings, who came in at number four, scored 47 runs off 23 balls to help Lahore reach an insurmountable target.

On the other hand, Peshawar Zalmi's bowling is perhaps the weakest in this tournament and they might have realized this today on the batting pitch of Lahore.

However, Peshawar's batting still has life and despite being out for two at the start, Peshawar's Saim Ayub and Tom Koehler Cadmore put on a partnership of 91 runs for the fourth wicket and put Peshawar in a position to compete in the match, but Lahore have bowling options so good that no team has been able to dominate them for the entire 20 overs so far, same happened with Peshawar.

This partnership was first broken by Haris Rauf by taking the wicket of Kohler Cadmore and then Rashid Khan ended Peshawar's hopes by guiding Saim Ayub to the pavilion in the next over.

Lahore won this match by 40 runs to record their third victory in the tournament.

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