Peshawar Zalmi crushed Karachi Kings by a record 159 runs in Match 17 of HBL Pakistan Super League 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday night, riding on Kusal Mendis’ record-breaking century and a combined bowling effort to skittle Karachi for 87 in 16.1 overs.
The result lifted Peshawar Zalmi to second in the standings with seven points from four matches and a net run-rate of 2.87, while Karachi Kings slipped to fourth.
Mendis became the first Sri Lankan to register a century in HBL PSL – a sparkling 109 off 52 balls including 14 fours and four sixes and also shared a 191-run second-wicket stand with captain Babar Azam — the highest partnership for any wicket in HBL PSL.
The duo surpassed the previous mark of 176 set by Babar and Sharjeel Khan for Karachi Kings against Islamabad United in 2021.
Babar finished unbeaten on 87 from 51 deliveries with 10 fours and two sixes, while Abdul Samad provided the late fireworks with an unbeaten 40 from just 12 balls including three fours and four sixes to lift Peshawar to a daunting 246 for three – their highest-ever total in HBL PSL, highest-ever team total at the National Bank Stadium and the sixth-highest in the league.
In reply, Karachi never recovered from a disastrous start. Iftikhar Ahmed (2.1-0-9-3), the hero of Peshawar’s last-ball thriller against Hyderabad Kingsmen last night, struck on the third ball of the chase to dismiss Muhammad Waseem for naught. Shoriful Islam (3-1-23-1) removed David Warner for zero in the very next over and Iftikhar struck again in the third over to trap Salman Ali Agha leg-before-wicket.
At eight for three, the chase was already in tatters and Karachi’s middle order offered little resistance. Saad Baig flashed three boundaries in his 14 from 11 balls before falling to a Nahid Rana bouncer in the seventh over while Moeen Ali made nine from eight before holing out to Abdul Samad off Sufyan Moqim in the ninth.
Azam Khan offered the only meaningful resistance with 25 from 27 balls including a six off Shoriful but he too was bowled by Sufyan in the 11th over with Karachi reeling at 65 for five.
Sufyan (4-0-18-3) and Nahid (4-1-7-3) then ran through the lower order with Khushdil Shah (10, 14b, 1×4) edging Nahid behind for 10 and Mohammad Abbas Afridi (9) caught at long-on off Sufyan (4-0-18-3).
Adam Zampa was bowled by Rana for a duck in the double-wicket maiden 14th over and the rout was completed in the 17th over when Iftikhar had Mohammad Hamza Sohail stumped by Mendis.
Earlier in the day, Karachi captain David Warner had won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Mendis, however, took apart Mir Hamza in the second over with back-to-back sixes to plunder 17 runs.
Khushdil (4-0-37-1) had earlier provided the perfect start by removing Mohammad Haris on the second ball of the match for a duck caught by Salman at long-on but Babar joined Mendis in dismantling Karachi’s attack with a 15-run fourth over off Khushdil.
Babar also brought up his 12,000 runs in T20 cricket; fastest to achieve the feat (338 innings) surpassing Chris Gayle (345 innings) and the just the second Pakistan batter to achieve the feat.
Peshawar reached 66 for one at the end of the powerplay before continuing to accelerate. Mendis brought up his half-century off 25 balls in the eighth over with a clip through deep extra cover and raced to his maiden HBL PSL hundred in the 15th over working Adam Zampa around the corner to bring up the milestone off just 48 deliveries.
The record-breaking partnership eventually ended at 191 when Mendis holed out to Haroon Arshad off Abbas in the 17th over for 109. Abbas struck again three balls later dismissing Michael Bracewell (6, 3b, 1×6) caught behind by Azam.
Samad walked in and immediately took the attack to Karachi, hammering Abbas for three consecutive sixes in the penultimate over before Mir Hamza was taken to cleaners for 19 in the final over including two more maximums by Samad as the unbeaten 12-ball cameo took Peshawar past 240.
Abbas (4-0-55-2) picked up the two of three Peshawar wickets to fall.
Scores in brief:
Peshawar Zalmi beat Karachi Kings by 159 runs at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Peshawar Zalmi 246-3, 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 109, Babar Azam 87, Abdul Samad 40 not out; Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-55)
Karachi Kings 87 all out, 16.1 overs (Azam Khan 25; Nahid Rana 3-7, Iftikhar Ahmed 3-9; Sufyan Moqim 3-18)
Player of the match: Kusal Mendis (Peshawar Zalmi)
Friday’s fixture: Quetta Gladiators v Rawalpindiz at National Bank Stadium, Karachi; 7pm PKT
