KARACHI: Peshawar Zalmi crushed Karachi Kings by a huge margin of 159 runs in the 17th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11. The match was played at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium.
Peshawar Zalmi set a huge target of 247 runs, scoring 246/3 in their allotted 20 overs. The standout performances came from Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis, whose 191-run partnership for the second wicket broke records. Mendis played a brilliant knock of 109 runs off 52 balls, including 4 sixes and 14 boundaries. Babar Azam was also outstanding, remaining unbeaten on 87 runs off 51 balls, leading his team to an imposing total. Abdul Samad’s quick-fire 40 off 12 balls, including 3 fours and 4 sixes, further accelerated the scoring.
In reply, Karachi Kings struggled against Zalmi’s bowlers. The chase faltered early, with openers David Warner and Mohammad Wasim failing to get off the mark. Karachi’s batting line-up crumbled, and they were bowled out for just 87 runs in 16.1 overs.
Peshawar Zalmi’s bowlers dominated, with Iftikhar Ahmed, Sufyan Maqeem, and Naheed Rana taking three wickets each to seal the win for their team.
The Karachi Kings’ captain, David Warner, who won the toss and chose to bowl first, watched in disbelief as his team failed to chase down the target. As a notable change, Karachi introduced Mohammad Hamza for the injured Hassan Ali, while Peshawar Zalmi made no changes to their winning lineup.
After the match, Babar Azam emphasized their strategy to use the first six overs effectively and play positive cricket in the middle overs. On the other hand, David Warner had anticipated a slow pitch but hoped to restrict Peshawar Zalmi to a manageable total an effort that fell short.
Earlier, Islamabad United had triumphed over Lahore Qalandars by 9 wickets, further highlighting the competitive nature of this season’s PSL.
