Watch: Haider Ali smashed an unbeaten half-century to take Islamabad United to the PSL 2024 final after they suffered an early collapse in their chase against Peshawar Zalmi yesterday (March 16).

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Batting first in Eliminator 2 of PSL 2024, Peshawar started off well with Saim Ayub going on a rampage. Naseem Shah dismissed Babar Azam in the eighth over, thanks to a brilliant catch by Shadab Khan at mid-off.

Mohammad Haris then played a blistering cameo at No.3 (40 off 25) before some handy contributions from the lower order helped Peshawar post 185 for the loss of five wickets. Naseem took three wickets, while Obed McCoy and Shadab picked up one wicket each.

In response, three of the Islamabad top four were dismissed for single digit scores as they collapsed to 50-4 and then 91-5 in the 11th over. Haider Ali came out to bat at No.7 with his team needing another 95 runs from nine overs with just five wickets in hand.

With Imad Wasim providing stability at the other end, Haider started going big after taking a few balls to settle in. His first six was off the 12th ball he faced, smashing a Mehran Mumtaz slot ball for a huge six over long-on.

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He then tore into Aamer Jamal in the 18th over, slogging him for two big, back-to-back sixes over the leg side, bringing the equation down to 17 off 14 from 30 off 16.

Haider reached his fifty in the next over with another six, this time off Luke Wood, pulling him over square leg. Imad finished off the chase off the last ball of the 19th over as Islamabad won by five wickets and with one over to spare. He remained unbeaten on 52 off 29 with two fours and five sixes. It was his first 20-plus score in his last nine PSL innings.

With this victory, Islamabad booked their place in the final where they will meet Multan Sultans on March 18.

Watch Haider Ali smash huge sixes en route to an unbeaten, match-winning half-century:

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