Zalmi’s batting onslaught powers them to thumping win over Kings

Karachi Kings suffered their first defeat of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2026 after being outclassed by Peshawar Zalmi by 159 runs at the National Bank Stadium.

Batting first, Zalmi posted a massive 246, courtesy of a sensational 109 from Kusal Mendis, while skipper Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 87, and Abdul Samad provided a late surge with an explosive 40 off just 12 balls.

In response, Karachi, playing their first home game of the season after winning their opening three matches in Lahore, lacked substance, intent, and authority while chasing the daunting target, as they were bowled out for just 87 in 16.1 overs.

Their top order collapsed quickly, with Muhammad Waseem and David Warner dismissed without scoring, while Salman Ali Agha managed just five, leaving Karachi reeling at 8/3 in 2.1 overs.

Iftikhar Ahmed once again did the damage, removing Waseem and Salman, while Shoriful Islam accounted for Warner.

The home side’s top scorer, Azam Khan (25), stitched a 27-run partnership with Saad Baig (14) before the latter was sent back by pacer Nahid Rana. At 50, Moeen Ali followed, mistiming a shot to midwicket off Sufyan Muqeem.

In the 11th over, Muqeem also dismissed Azam, clean bowling him with a quicker delivery. The remaining four wickets fell for just six runs, with Khushdil Shah contributing only 10.

For Zalmi, who now have six points from four games, Nahid Rana, Sufyan Muqeem, and Iftikhar Ahmed led the bowling charge with three wickets each, while Shoriful Islam chipped in with one.

Zalmi’s batting onsalught

Karachi Kings skipper David Warner’s decision to field first backfired as Peshawar Zalmi batters hammered the home side’s bowlers to all parts of the ground, leaving him visibly frustrated.

After an early setback with Mohammad Haris dismissed off the second ball, Kusal Mendis joined Babar Azam, and the duo turned the game on its head with a dominant 191-run partnership off just 97 deliveries.

Mendis set the tone early, launching the onslaught in the second over by smashing two sixes off the final deliveries of Mir Hamza. Two overs later, Babar joined in, striking two fours and a six. Three more boundaries from Mendis helped Zalmi reach 66 in the powerplay.

Although Khushdil Shah and Adam Zampa briefly applied the brakes, Mendis broke the shackles in the ninth over with back-to-back fours. In the 11th over, Babar struck three consecutive fours off Moeen Ali, while Zampa conceded 18 runs in the 13th.

Mendis brought up his century on the first ball of the 16th over. Abbas Afridi eventually ended the marathon stand in the 17th, dismissing Mendis for 109 off 52 balls, which included 14 fours and four sixes.

Afridi struck again on the final ball of the over, removing Michael Bracewell and reducing Zalmi to 197/3 after 17 overs.

However, the final overs witnessed complete carnage from Abdul Samad, who smashed three sixes in the 19th over and followed it up with three fours and a six in the last over, finishing unbeaten on 40 off 12 balls, including four sixes and three fours.

For Karachi, Afridi was the only bowler to pick up two wickets, while Khushdil returned figures of 1/37 in his four overs.