Karachi Kings defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 23 runs, successfully defending a massive target of 238 runs in the 27th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Following the victory, the David Warner-led Kings qualified for the PSL 10 playoffs, joining defending champions Islamabad United.
Chasing a formidable 238-run target, Zalmi could only manage 214/5 in their allotted 20 overs, succumbing to a significant defeat.
Zalmi began their pursuit with a brief aggressive start as their new opening pair of Mohammad Haris (nine) and Saim Ayub put together a quick 30-run partnership before Haris was dismissed in the third over.
Ayub then formed a crucial 77-run partnership for the second wicket with captain Babar Azam before falling victim to Abbas Afridi in the 11th over. He scored 47 off 31 deliveries, including five boundaries and two sixes.
Babar then shared one-sided partnerships with Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Max Bryant, eventually suffering a heartbreaking end to his courageous innings, getting run out just seven runs short of a well-deserved century. He remained Zalmi’s top scorer with a 94 off 49 balls, hitting 10 fours and four sixes.
His dismissal left Peshawar Zalmi at 184/5 in 17.5 overs, needing a further 55 runs from just 13 deliveries.
All-rounders Maaz Sadaqat and Hussain Talat could only add 30 runs to the total, scoring 19 and 12 not out respectively.
Abbas Afridi was the standout bowler for the Kings, taking two wickets for 48 runs in his four overs, while Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza each claimed one wicket.
Having been put in to bat first, the Kings posted a formidable total of 237/4 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a marathon second-wicket partnership between Warner and Vince.
Karachi Kings, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as Luke Wood dismissed debutant Ben McDermott on the very first ball.
Following the early setback, Vince joined Warner in the middle, and together they orchestrated an impressive recovery, putting on 162 runs for the second wicket before Ali Raza dismissed Vince in the 15th over. Vince smashed 11 fours and a six on his way to a 72 off 42 balls.
The Kings then lost another wicket in the following over when Wood dismissed the in-form Muhammad Irfan Khan for two.
Arif Yaqoob provided Zalmi with another significant breakthrough in the 17th over when he caught Warner at deep mid-wicket. The left-handed opener remained the top scorer for the Kings with 86 off 50 deliveries, including 11 fours and two sixes.
The back-to-back wickets, however, did not hinder the Kings’ progress towards a big total, as all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nabi added valuable runs at a rapid pace, forging an unbeaten 70-run partnership. Khushdil was the main aggressor in the stand, scoring a blistering 43 not out from 15 deliveries, while Nabi contributed an unbeaten 26 off 10 balls.
Wood was the standout bowler for Zalmi, taking two wickets for just 19 runs in his four overs, while Arif Yaqoob and Ali Raza chipped in with one wicket each.
Tribute paid to armed forces
The league resumed on Saturday with players and match officials paying tribute to the armed forces in a show of solidarity at a ceremony attended by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Before the start of the game, they honoured the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in defence of the country.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry were also present at the stadium to watch the PSL match.
Renowned singers Sahir Ali Bagga and Asrar Shah delivered electrifying performances to honour the bravery of Pakistan’s armed forces, followed by a fireworks display.
The cricket board also announced that the tournament’s three stages would be named in honour of the army, navy, and air force.
The tribute comes in the wake of the Pakistani armed forces’ response to Indian aggression amid recent regional tensions.
Recent Indian hostilities toward Pakistan led to the suspension of both PSL 10 and the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).
