Sahibzada Farhan after a scratchy knock in the first game, has warmed up to the Pakistan Super League (PSL), smashing his fourth T20 hundred in a span of one month, bringing his form from the National T20 Cup to the PSL for the Islamabad United as the defending champions proved to be too good for the Peshawar Zalmi on Monday in Rawalpindi. Farhan’s earth-shattering numbers in the National T20 Cup, amassing 605 runs at an average of 121 and a strike rate of 190 got him a late PSL deal after not finding takers at the draft.

Most centuries in T20 cricket by a Pakistani batter

11 – Babar Azam (301 innings)

6 – Sahibzada Farhan (103 innings)

5 – Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Usman Khan, Sharjeel Khan

Farhan’s 49-ball hundred set up United’s second win as Peshawar Zalmi bowlers looked hapless for a second match in a row. After losing the American wicketkeeper-opener Andries Gous early, Farhan and Colin Munro forged a 144-run partnership for the second wicket as they blew away the Zalmi bowlers. Even though both Munro and Farhan got out in quick succession, cameos from Azam Khan, Salman Agha, Jason Holder and Ben Dwarshuis served the United well as they piled on their second-highest total in PSL history, 243.

The Peshawar Zalmi’s batting line-up came undone under the scoreboard pressure as apart from Muhammad Haris, no one else showed any resistance. Skipper Babar Azam’s wretched run of form continued as he followed up a duck in the first game with just a solitary run in the second. United’s spin twins, skipper Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim shared five wickets between them and completely wrecked the Zalmi batting innings.

Zalmi lost by a margin of 102 runs and their NRR got a pretty massive beating, it being now in negatives at -4.5. The United, on the other hand, are at the top of the table with two back-to-back handsome wins.