A spectacular century from Kusal Mendis and a masterful innings from Babar Azam, coupled with an unyielding bowling display, propelled Peshawar Zalmi to a resounding 159-run victory over Karachi Kings in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11). Despite being set a formidable 247-run target, Karachi Kings crumbled under pressure, being dismissed for a meager 87 in 16.1 overs, marking their first defeat of the tournament in a crushing manner. Azam Khan was the top scorer for Karachi, managing a modest 25 off 27 deliveries, while Saad Baig contributed 14 and Khushdil Shah chipped in with 10. The rest of the batters failed to mount any meaningful resistance as Zalmi’s bowlers systematically dismantled the lineup. Nahid Rana, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Iftikhar Ahmed shared the spoils with three wickets each, while Shoriful Islam claimed one. Earlier, Zalmi had taken control of the game after being asked to bat first, amassing a record-breaking 246/3 in 20 overs, a total that shattered the PSL record books. This score now stands as the highest team total at the National Bank Stadium in PSL history, eclipsing the previous best of 238/3. It also marks Peshawar Zalmi’s highest-ever total in the league, surpassing their previous record of 242/6, and ranks as the sixth-highest team total in PSL history. Zalmi’s innings got off to a shaky start when Mohammad Haris was dismissed for a duck on just the second ball, but this early setback only brought together the duo that would ultimately seal the game for Karachi. Mendis and Babar Azam forged a stunning 191-run partnership for the second wicket, which now stands as the highest partnership for any wicket in PSL history. The previous record was 176, also involving Babar during his time with Karachi Kings. Mendis was the chief aggressor, smashing 109 off just 52 deliveries with 14 fours and four sixes. His innings finally came to an end in the 17th over when Abbas Afridi broke the massive stand. Babar, meanwhile, anchored the innings superbly and remained unbeaten on 87 off 51 deliveries, striking 10 fours and two sixes. He later added an unbeaten 49-run partnership with Abdul Samad, who provided the late burst with a fiery 40 off 12 deliveries. The match also brought another individual milestone for Babar, who became the fastest batter in men’s T20 history to complete 12,000 runs, reaching the landmark in 338 innings. For Karachi, Abbas Afridi was the most successful bowler with 2 for 55, while Khushdil Shah claimed one wicket. However, the night belonged entirely to Zalmi, who not only secured one of the biggest wins of the season but also left behind a trail of records in a statement performance.
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