Ever looked at a scorecard and wondered how two of the biggest heavyweights in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) can produce such wildly lopsided results? Honestly, the Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi matchup is one of the weirdest head-to-heads in T20 franchise cricket. You’ve got Babar Azam on one side and Mohammad Rizwan on the other—the two pillars of Pakistani batting—yet the "Sultans of the South" have historically treated the Yellow Storm like a training session.
Cricket is a game of tiny margins. Usually. But when these two meet, those margins tend to blow out into massive chasms.
Take the 2025 season as a prime example. Most fans expected a dogfight. Instead, we witnessed extreme swings. In their first meeting of PSL 10, Peshawar Zalmi absolutely demolished Multan by 120 runs—the largest margin of victory by runs in the entire history of the league. Then, just a few weeks later in the return leg at Multan Cricket Stadium, the Sultans collapsed for a measly 108, and Zalmi cruised to a 7-wicket win.
Wait. Did I just say Multan has dominated?
Yes. And that is exactly what makes the Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi dynamic so fascinating. Despite Zalmi’s recent 2025 double over Multan, the long-term history tells a story of "Blue Dominance." Before that 2025 slump, Multan held a staggering 11-5 lead in the head-to-head record. They’ve essentially been Peshawar’s "bogey team" for years.
The Psychological Scars of 2021
If you want to understand why Zalmi fans get nervous when they see the blue jerseys, you have to go back to Abu Dhabi in 2021. The PSL 6 final.
It was supposed to be Peshawar’s night. They had the experience. They had the momentum. Instead, Sohaib Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw went absolutely nuclear. Multan posted 206/4, a mountain that proved too steep for Peshawar, who finished 47 runs short.
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That match changed the DNA of this rivalry. It turned the Sultans from the "new kids on the block" into a clinical, data-driven machine that seemed to have the hex on Peshawar. Since then, Mohammad Rizwan has used a very specific blueprint to stifle Babar Azam’s men: squeeze them in the powerplay and let the leg-spinners do the dirty work in the middle.
How the Matchups Actually Play Out
When you break down a typical Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi game, it usually comes down to three specific battlegrounds.
First, there’s the Powerplay Squeeze. David Willey and Mohammad Hasnain (who moved to Multan recently) are masters of the new ball. They don't just try to take wickets; they try to bore the batsmen into making mistakes. If Saim Ayub or Babar Azam can't get away in the first six overs, the pressure on the Zalmi middle order becomes unbearable.
Then there is the Usama Mir Factor. Usama Mir has historically loved bowling against Peshawar. His career stats against the Yellow Storm are significantly better than his average against teams like Islamabad or Lahore. He finds a way to exploit the fact that Peshawar’s middle order—guys like Mohammad Haris—tend to be "high-risk, high-reward" players.
Lastly, look at the Captaincy Styles.
- Mohammad Rizwan: He’s a "vibes and data" guy. He stays calm, smiles through the pressure, but follows the pre-match plan to a T.
- Babar Azam: He is much more traditional. He trusts his gut and his frontline pacers.
Interestingly, in the 2025 season, Babar actually out-maneuvered Rizwan by using unconventional bowlers like Saim Ayub and Ahmed Daniyal to break the Sultans' rhythm early. Daniyal’s 3/17 in their last meeting was a masterclass in change-of-pace bowling that left the Multan batters looking clueless.
The Stats That Actually Matter
Forget the total runs for a second. Look at the "Average Score" when these two meet. Multan usually averages around 180 against Peshawar, while Zalmi struggles to stay above 166. That 14-run difference is basically the gap between a winning total and a losing one in T20s.
Also, the toss hasn't been as decisive as you’d think. In their 16 most recent encounters leading into 2026, Multan won 6 times batting first and 5 times chasing. They are versatile. Peshawar, meanwhile, has historically struggled to defend totals against the Sultans, winning only twice when setting a target.
Why 2026 Feels Different
Going into the 2026 season, the "fear factor" has shifted slightly. Peshawar’s recruitment of young guns like Ali Raza and the emergence of Abdul Samad as a genuine finisher has given them the "firepower" they lacked in previous years.
Samad’s 14-ball 40 against Multan in 2025 wasn't just a lucky cameo; it was a statement. It told the Sultans that they can no longer just focus on Babar and Haris. There is a long tail of hitters now.
Multan, on the other hand, is leaning heavily into their "spin-twin" strategy. With Michael Bracewell and Usama Mir, they are betting that the pitches in Multan and Rawalpindi will continue to take turn in the second innings. It’s a gamble. If the dew comes in, those spinners become expensive bowling machines.
What Most People Get Wrong
People keep calling this a "Clash of the Captains." It isn't. Not really.
It’s a clash of Squad Depth. Peshawar Zalmi often relies on 2-3 superstars to carry the team. If Babar doesn't score 50+, they usually lose. Multan is different. You’ll see a random player like Tayyab Tahir or Yasir Khan come out of nowhere to play a match-winning 30-run knock. That "bits and pieces" contributions are why Multan has historically dominated the win-loss column.
Key Insights for Your Next Viewing
If you're watching the next Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi game, keep an eye on these three specific triggers:
- The 7th Over: This is when Rizwan usually introduces Usama Mir. If Peshawar is 50/0, they are safe. If they are 35/1, the game is probably over.
- Saim Ayub’s Bowling: Babar has started using Saim as a genuine wicket-taking option in the Powerplay. He got the breakthrough in both 2025 wins.
- The "Multan Crowd" Factor: Playing at the Multan Cricket Stadium is a nightmare for visiting teams. The heat and the noise are intense. Peshawar has struggled there more than any other venue.
To stay ahead of the curve on this rivalry, you should keep a close eye on the player draft movements later this year. If Multan loses their core local bowling unit, the "H2H" gap will likely close even further. For now, the smart money usually stays with the Sultans, but the 2025 "Double" by Zalmi suggests the tides are finally turning.
Check the live injury reports 24 hours before the next game, specifically looking at the status of David Willey and Alzarri Joseph. These two pacers dictate the tempo of the first five overs, and their absence completely changes the projected score. Don't just look at the win/loss record; look at the venue—Multan is a fortress, but Rawalpindi is where Peshawar’s power hitters thrive.