A spectacular century from Kusal Mendis and a masterful Babar Azam innings, coupled with an unyielding bowling display, enabled Peshawar Zalmi to annihilate Karachi Kings by a crushing 159 runs in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11). Despite a daunting 247-run target, Karachi Kings were dismantled for a mere 87 in 16.1 overs, suffering their first defeat of the tournament in a resounding manner. Azam Khan topped the scoring charts for Karachi with a subdued 25 off 27 deliveries, while Saad Baig managed 14 and Khushdil Shah contributed 10. No other batter was able to mount significant 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 put Karachi to the sword after being asked to bat first, amassing a colossal 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 is also 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 began on a shaky note when Mohammad Haris was dismissed for a duck on just the second ball, but this early setback only served to bring together the pair that would take the game away from Karachi. Mendis and Babar Azam forged a breathtaking 191-run stand 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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