Karachi, May 17, 2025 – In a must-win high-octane clash marred briefly by a security delay, Karachi Kings secured a thrilling 23-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi, keeping their playoff hopes alive and officially booking their place in the final four for the first time in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 since 2021.
The Kings, alongside Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators, now look ahead to the business end of the tournament, while Zalmi face near elimination in what marks a dramatic fall from grace for the former champions.
Batting first at the National Stadium in Karachi, the Kings produced a commanding performance, amassing a daunting total of 237/4. The foundation was laid by a brilliant 162-run opening partnership between David Warner and James Vince. Warner dazzled with a fluent 86, while Vince added 72 and reached the 12,000-run milestone in T20 cricket. The final two overs yielded 52 runs, capitalizing on Zalmi’s inconsistent death bowling and a costly penalty due to fielding restrictions.
For Peshawar Zalmi, Luke Wood was the only standout bowler, grabbing two wickets with sharp swing, but the rest of the attack failed to maintain pressure. Poor fielding, dropped catches, and sloppy misfields only added to their woes.
Chasing 238, Zalmi showed early promise with a 77-run stand between Babar Azam and Saim Ayub after losing Mohammad Haris early. At 98/1 after 10 overs, they were in the hunt, but the pressure escalated. Despite Babar’s classy 94 off 49 balls, his slow start and eventual run-out sealed Zalmi’s fate. Tom Kohler-Cadmore tried to anchor the innings alongside him, but Karachi’s bowlers, especially Hasan Ali, who bowled with surgical precision, kept things tight. Hasan picked up crucial wickets and stifled scoring in the middle overs, earning high praise for his match-turning spell.
Abbas Afridi redeemed himself with two wickets after dropping Babar early, and Mir Hamza contributed economically before an unfortunate injury forced him off the field.
Despite lapses in fielding, the Karachi Kings held firm, and their collective team effort delivered a hard-fought win over Zalmi. David Warner was rightly awarded Player of the Match, as the Kings now charge into the playoffs while Peshawar Zalmi face an uncertain future.