LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi produced a clinical run-chase at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday, handing Karachi Kings a crushing seven-wicket defeat with seven deliveries remaining in the 32nd match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
The victory lifts Zalmi to the top of the table and secures their playoff berth, while the Kings, despite a fighting total, were left to rue a catastrophic collapse that saw them lose their last five wickets for just 18 runs.
Peshawar Zalmi cruise to a clinical seven-wicket victory at Gaddafi Stadium with seven balls to spare.#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/eFjNanlViE
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 22, 2026
Roy’s fireworks go in vain as Kings implode late
Opting to bat first, Karachi Kings were powered by an explosive 85 off just 51 balls from opener Jason Roy. The Englishman struck 11 fours and two sixes, anchoring the innings after David Warner’s early dismissal for 11.
Salman Agha (12) and Reeza Hendricks (13) made brief contributions, but it was Azam Khan’s blistering 35 off 19 deliveries (3 fours, 3 sixes) that injected momentum, lifting Karachi to 161 for 4 in the 18th over.
That’s when the wheels came off.
Four wickets in three balls
Ali Raza claimed a stunning PSL hat-trick in the most extraordinary fashion.
The fourth delivery of the final over, which had been called a wide, gave Raza three more legal balls to work with. That same ball saw Abbas Afridi run out after his partner Khushdil Shah was caught ball-watching, leaving Afridi stranded mid-pitch.
On the very next delivery, Khushdil suffered a freak dismissal, hit wicket, as he attempted to drive a yorker toward long-on, only to drag his back foot onto the stumps.
Raza then made it two in two with the penultimate ball: another pinpoint yorker that crashed into Shahid Aziz’s middle stump.
Moeen Ali remained unbeaten on 0 as the Kings failed to bat out their full quota.
Back-to-back sixes for Mendis 🔥#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/t8dvsuOFDv
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 22, 2026
Mendis and Yousaf seal the chase with composure
Chasing 183, Peshawar Zalmi lost Babar Azam (25) and James Vince (16) early, slipping to 45 for 2. Aaron Hardie’s departure for 5 made it 67 for 3, bringing Kusal Mendis and Farhan Yousaf together.
Back-to-back sixes for Mendis 🔥#HBLPSL11 | #NewEra | #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/t8dvsuOFDv
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) April 22, 2026
The pair then produced a match-winning stand of 119 runs off just 68 balls. Mendis remained unbeaten on a polished 80 off 43 deliveries, laced with five fours and four sixes. Yousaf matched him stroke for stroke, finishing 58 not out from 36 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
The duo reached the target with 18.5 overs on the board, sparking wild celebrations in the Zalmi dugout.
Brief Scores
Karachi Kings 182/9 (Roy 85, Azam Khan 35; Ali Raza 4-41) lost to Peshawar Zalmi 186/3 (Mendis 80, Yousaf 58; Hasan Ali 1-52) by 7 wickets.
