Mohammad Amir, the fast bowler for Quetta Gladiators, discussed his key wicket of Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam during the 17th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. Amir dismissed Babar Azam twice in the tournament, first for 12 runs and then for a duck, playing a crucial role in Peshawar Zalmi’s collapse.
Following Babar’s early departure, Zalmi struggled to gain momentum in their chase of the 179-run target set by Quetta Gladiators. The team crumbled under pressure and was bowled out for just 114 in 15.2 overs, marking their fourth defeat of the season.
Peshawar Zalmi’s chase began poorly with the loss of their top three batters in the powerplay. Saim Ayub was dismissed for 5 in the second over, with the score at 17. Babar Azam fell to Mohammad Amir for 12 in the third over, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (5) was bowled out by Mohammad Wasim Jr., leaving Zalmi struggling at 33 in 4.3 overs.
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Mohammad Haris fought back with 16 off 17 balls, including a four and a six, but was dismissed before the halfway mark. The rest of the Zalmi lineup couldn’t recover, and the team was eventually bowled out.
In a post-match press conference, Mohammad Amir addressed the growing buzz about his on-field rivalry with Babar Azam, highlighting how such rivalries bring excitement to the tournament. He said, “Whether on the field or on social media, these rivalries entertain people, especially in T20s—that’s the main goal.”
Amir added that as a bowler, his role is to create pressure and show aggression, while the batter’s job is to score runs. He stressed that these competitive exchanges should stay within respectful limits. “My fans post my videos, Babar’s fans post his. It’s all great for the tournament,” Amir commented.
Despite the rivalry, Amir praised Babar’s exceptional batting skills and explained his strategy for dismissing him. “Babar Azam is a big player, there’s no doubt about that. My plan is always to utilize the swing with the new ball. Whether it’s Saim or Babar, I thought Babar would expect the outswinger, so I aimed to bring it back in,” he concluded.
