Peshawar Zalmi

Peshawar Zalmi (Urdu: پشاور زلمی; Pashto: پېښور زلمي; meaning "Peshawar's Youth") are a professional Twenty20 cricket franchise that competes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The team is based in Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and was established in 2015 following the announcement of the inaugural PSL by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).^[4] It's home ground is Imran Khan Stadium. The franchise is owned by Javed Afridi, CEO of Haier Pakistan.^[1]

Peshawar Zalmi won their first Pakistan Super League title in the 2017 season, defeating Quetta Gladiators in the final.^[5] Since then, the team has consistently remained one of the league's strongest performers, qualifying for the playoffs in nearly every edition and reaching the final three times (2017, 2018, and 2021).^[6]

The team's home ground is the Imran Khan Cricket Stadium in Peshawar. Babar Azam serves as the current captain, having taken over the leadership ahead of the 2023 season, while former West Indies captain Daren Sammy is the team's head coach.^[7][8]

Kamran Akmal remains the franchise's all-time leading run-scorer, while Wahab Riaz is the leading wicket-taker in the team's history.^[9][10]

On 3 December 2015, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled the owners of five city-based franchises for the first season of the Pakistan Super League. The Peshawar franchise was sold to Javed Afridi for US$16 million for a ten-year period.^[11][12]

In November 2025, following the conclusion of the original contract, the franchise renewed its rights for another decade (2026–2035). The renewal was based on a valuation conducted by Ernst & Young, which shifted the financial model from US dollars to Pakistani Rupees. Under the new agreement, the annual franchise fee for Peshawar Zalmi was set at Rs. 490 million.^[13][14]

Peshawar began their 2016 season well, winning their first two matches. After a loss to Quetta Gladiators^[15] the team went on to win six of their eight group stage matches and finished first in the points table, qualifying for the playoffs. The first playoff match was against Quetta in qualifier 1. The match came down to the last ball Quetta winning by one run, Peshawar scoring 132 runs in reply to Quetta's 133 runs.^[16] As a result of their first-place position in the group table, Peshawar then went on to play Islamabad United in the second qualifier match. Peshawar also lost this match and were eliminated

Peshawar traded Aamer Yamin for Sohaib Maqsood of Lahore Qalandars during the off-season.^[17] During the 2017 Pakistan Super League players draft they retained 10 players and signed eight, including Overseas players Shakib Al Hasan, Eoin Morgan, Chris Jordan and Alex Hales. Shakib and Tamim were not available for selection during the initial stage of tournament due to national duties as they were in India to play only test match. Later Alex Hales and Shakib Al Hasan were replaced with Tillakaratne Dilshan and Marlon Samuels and Mohammad Shahzad was replaced with Andre Fletcher while Tamim Iqbal was replaced with Samit Patel.^{[18] [19]}

In their first game of PSL 2017, Peshawar Zalmi lost to the Islamabad United by 7 wickets.^[20] In their next game against Karachi Kings, Zalmi won by 7 wickets in pursuit of 120 runs. Eoin Morgan starred in the chase with an unbeaten innings of 80 runs off 57 balls.^[21] Following this the Zalmi were involved in a low-scoring thriller with the Lahore Qalandars that saw the former collapse in the chase of just 60 runs before getting over the line with 3 wickets to spare.^[22]

As the tournament moved to Sharjah, Zalmi's first game against Quetta Gladiators was abandoned after repeated showers and the two teams shared the points from the bout.^[23] Following this, against Islamabad United, the Zalmis lost a hard-fought game that went down to the last ball. After being put in to bat by United, Zalmi could only manage a below-par score of 137 runs and never really got going. But the team's bowlers bowled exceedingly well to make a contest out of it.^[24] In their final game of the Sharjah leg, the Zalmis continued their losing streak after being beaten by Karachi Kings in a thrilling contest. Setting up a target of 175 runs, the Kings had the Zalmis reduced to 69–6 before Shahid Afridi and Darren Sammy combined in a 70-runs partnership that almost won the game for the Zalmis. However, they couldn't see the game through as the Zalmis fell short by 9 runs.^[25]

With the tournament shifting back to Dubai, the Zalmis registered consecutive wins against Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators respectively. Against the Qalandars, the team put up a target of 167 runs and then successful defended it after inducing a batting collapse of 5 wickets for 6 runs from the opposition. In the end prevailing by 17 runs and securing a playoff spot.^[26] But with the Gladiators, the team suffered a batting collapse of their own. Chasing a below-par total of 129 runs, the Zalmis were at one time reduced to 52–6 before a vintage performance from Shahid Afridi, who scored 45 off 23 balls, ensured that his team won with 2 wickets left intact.^[27] In the first playoffs (qualifier 1) they faced Gladiators at Sharjah it proved to be a replica of last year qualifier 1 where quetta clinched 1 run win over Zalmi. after sent into bat by Zalmi Quetta gave a huge target of 200 runs thanks to Ahmed Shahzad for his 71 off 38 balls. In reply Zalmi had a poor start losing 2 early wickets for less than 10 runs, then came Mohammad Hafeez who started hitting Gladiators all over the stadium he with Dawid Malan put up a 100+ runs partnership. After Hafeez got out Shahid Afridi came looking in best six hitting form scoring 34 off just 17 balls shifting match in Zalmi's favour, but got out at wrong time and as a result Zalmi collapsed in the last over of the match. Left arm spinner for Quetta, Muhammad Nawaz was the bowler who didn't let Zalmi score 2 runs off last 3 balls hence, Gladiators progressed into the final and Zalmi into the qualifier 2^[28] where they defeated Karachi Kings by 24 runs. Batting first Zalmi scored 181 runs for 3 wickets due to Kamran Akmal's brilliant 104 runs from 65 balls. Wahab Riaz and Chris Jordan 3-for took Zalmi into the final for the first time ever. Kamran was adjudged man of the match in the end.^[29]

In the final, Zalmis defeated Quetta Gladiators – the runners-up of the inaugural edition of the PSL, by 58 runs batting first. Zalmi's left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar took 3 wickets for 16 runs. In the first innings, Gladiators' Rayad Emrit took 2 wickets in the 17th over, which left the score at 112 runs for 6 wickets but Darren Sammy clubbed 33 runs in the last two overs taking the Zalmis total to 148 runs.^[30]

In the opening match of 2018 season, defending champions Zalmi suffered a loss against new entrants Multan Sultans by 7 wickets.^[31] The next game, Zalmi secured a comfortable 34-runs win over Islamabad United. Defending a target of 176 runs, Zalmi's debuting fast bowler, Umaid Asif, was the star performer as he reduced the opposition to 25-4 inside the powerplay.^[32] Continuing on, the team suffered a loss against Karachi Kings in a closely fought game. Batting first, the Zalmis lost wickets with regular consistency. Only Dwayne Smith's unbeaten innings of 71 runs got them to a respectable total of 131 runs. Defending it, they took the game to the last three balls before the Kings prevailed by 5 wickets.^[33]

As the tournament shifted to Sharjah, the team won a thriller against rivals Quetta Gladiators. Batting first, the Gladiators set a target of 143 runs in a batting display that was punctuated with starts and stops on a two-paced pitch. In reply, the Zalmis were on course for victory at 107-2 before losing three quick wickets to end up requiring 22 runs from the last two overs. At this point, an injured Darren Sammy single-handedly won the match for his team by striking 16 runs from 4 balls to finish the game with 2 balls to go.^[34] The following game, the Zalmis beat Lahore Qalandars comfortably in the chase of a low target of 101 runs. The margin of the win was 10 wickets - the first such instance in the history of the PSL. Additionally, this was the first game for Zalmi's main pacer, Hasan Ali this season as he had been sidelined due to an injury.^[35]

In the final, Peshawar Zalmi lost to Islamabad United by three wickets. Peshawar Zalmi won the toss and elected to bat first. Peshawar's in-form batsman Kamran Akmal was out lbw for 1 run off 8 balls, with Samit Patel taking the wicket in the third over early on. Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson were involved in a fourth-wicket fifty-partnership. Later, Wahab Riaz's 28 runs off 14 balls ensured their team reached to a total of 148 runs. Islamabad's Luke Ronchi hit five sixes in the first five overs as he raced to 45 runs off just 15 balls, before he got out in the ninth over after scoring a 26-ball 52, batting second. But a sudden collapse resulted in Islamabad losing six wickets for 20 runs leaving them at 116/6. Akmal then dropped a catch at fine leg when Asif Ali attempted a pull shot off Umaid Asif with Islamabad needing 30 runs off 33 balls. Asif Ali then hit three sixes on the trot off Hasan Ali. Islamabad's Faheem Ashraf hooked Wahab Riaz for six with just one run required in the 17th over.^[36]

Peshawar Zalmi finished the group stage with first position by winning seven of their matches and losing only three. Peshawar came on top because of the higher run rate.^[37] Peshawar Zalmi lost to Quetta Gladiators in the qualifier by 10 runs.^[38]

In the final in Karachi, Peshawar Zalmi lost to Gladiators by 8 wickets becoming the runners up.^[39]

In January before the season started, they signed Hashim Amla as batting mentor of the team, replacing Younis Khan for the job.^[40][41]

Peshawar Zalmi concluded the tournament in the Pakistan Super League with a respectable standing. Having played 10 matches, they secured 5 wins and experienced 5 losses, accumulating a total of 10 points.

Zalmi finished 5th on the points table and exited in group stage.

The team's identity was unveiled on 13 December 2015 by owner Javed Afridi at the Army Public School Peshawar. The name Zalmi is a Pashto word meaning "youth."^[42] The logo depicts a traditional Peshawari turban with cricket stumps, using shades of blue, yellow, and white to represent the region's pride, skies, and energy of the people.^[43] Originally yellow and blue, the kit colours switched to yellow and black starting in PSL 4.^[44]

In 2019, Nielsen valued the franchise at US$40.5 million, ranking it as Pakistan's biggest sports entity. The team has engaged various celebrity ambassadors over the years, including actors Hamza Ali Abbasi, Mahira Khan, Humaima Malick, and Sana Javed. Regional artist Gul Panra and Turkish actress Esra Bilgiç have also represented the franchise.^[45]

Turkish Airlines signed a deal to become the official airline sponsor of the franchise for Pakistan Super League 6 starting February 20, 2021.^[46]

Global Zalmi comprises the International Sports Branches of Peshawar Zalmi spread across 25 countries. Each year the teams from these countries come and play the Global Zalmi League.

• Source: ESPNcricinfo

• Source: Official website Archived 9 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine

Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 26 March 2024

Key: ■ PZ Won | ■ IU | ■ KK | ■ LQ | ■ MS | ■ QG
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Last updated: 23 February 2026

As of 22 February 2026

• Source: ESPNcricinfo

• Source: ESPNcricinfo

• List of Pakistan Super League anthems
• Islamabad United
• Karachi Kings
• Lahore Qalandars
• Multan Sultan
• Quetta Gladiators

• Official website