Peshawar Zalmi vs Karachi Kings turned into a one-sided PSL 11 contest as Zalmi stormed to a record 159-run victory at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium. Kusal Mendis led the charge with a blistering century, while Zalmi’s bowlers ripped through Karachi’s batting line-up to seal one of the biggest wins of the season.
Karachi Kings, chasing 247, collapsed for just 87 in 16.1 overs. The defeat handed Karachi their first loss of the ongoing tournament and underlined Zalmi’s dominance in both innings.
Karachi captain David Warner chose to field first, but the decision backfired. Zalmi piled up 246/3 in 20 overs after recovering from the early loss of Mohammad Haris on the second ball of the innings.
Mendis and Babar Azam then transformed the match with a massive 191-run stand for the second wicket. Mendis smashed 109 off 52 balls, hitting 14 fours and four sixes, while Babar carried his bat for an unbeaten 87 off 51 deliveries.
Abdul Samad added late momentum with a rapid 40 off just 12 balls. That late burst pushed Zalmi close to the 250 mark and left Karachi facing a huge target under pressure.
Karachi Kings collapse in steep chase
Karachi never built any momentum in reply. Wicketkeeper-batter Azam Khan top-scored with a cautious 25 off 27 balls, while Saad Baig made 14 and Khushdil Shah scored 10. No other batter managed to reach double figures in a dramatic collapse.
Zalmi’s bowlers stayed relentless throughout the chase. Nahid Rana, Sufiyan Muqeem and Iftikhar Ahmed took three wickets each, while Shoriful Islam chipped in with one to complete the demolition.
Read: Babar Azam Reaches 12,000 T20 Runs in Record Time
Mendis earned Player of the Match for an innings that changed the game after Zalmi’s early setback. His counterattack not only steadied the innings but also shifted the pressure completely onto Karachi.
For Zalmi, the result delivered a statement win. For Karachi, it exposed serious weaknesses in both bowling execution and chase management against one of the strongest batting displays of PSL 11 so far.
