Warner, Khushdil power Kings to thrilling win over Zalmi

KARACHI: Karachi Kings (KK) overpowered Peshawar Zalmi by two wickets in a last over thriller of the PSL 2025 thanks to David Warner’s composed half century and Khushdil Shah’s late flourish at the National Bank Stadium here Monday night.

Chasing 148 on a slow and tough surface, the home team didn’t start on a positive note as opener Tim Seifert was trapped on the first ball by a sharp in-swinger from Luke Wood. Things got worse when James Vince fell to Wood to leave Kings reeling at 19-2.

Warner, however, took control of the innings and gradually rebuilt adding valuable runs with Muhammad Irfan Khan (10) and Mohammad Nabi (14), and later Khushdil Shah. Warner’s 60 off 47 balls was laced with eight boundaries, before he was dismissed by Wood in the 17th over, leaving the Kings needing 29 from 21 balls with just two wickets in hand.

A mini-collapse followed Warner’s departure, but Khushdil Shah, the player of the match, played the finisher’s role by smashing three boundaries in his unbeaten 23 off 17 balls.

For Zalmi, Luke Wood was the standout with the ball, claiming three for 28 in his four overs. Ali Raza bagged two wickets, while Arif Yaqoob and Alzarri Joseph chipped in with one each.

In the first innings, Zalmi managed 147 for the loss of eight wickets in 20 overs on what was a tricky batting surface. Opting to bat first, Zalmi never really found their rhythm, with Saim Ayub getting dismissed with his team’s score just nine runs in 2.4 overs.

However, captain Babar Azam got in the runs after scores of 0, 1, and 2 in the last three innings, managing 46 with seven fours. During his 41-ball knock, Babar anchored the innings as best as possible, stitching small stands to steady things.

His 16-run stand with Tom Kohler-Cadmore came to a quick end when the latter was dismissed for seven by Khushdil Shah in the seventh over.

Babar then partnered with Mohammad Haris for the third wicket to add 31 runs before Khushdil struck again, taking the key scalp of the Zalmi skipper, with a quick delivery that struck the right-hander’s front pad.

Haris continued to push the scoring alongside Hussain Talat, and their 37-run partnership offered Zalmi a glimmer of momentum. However, Aamir Jamal’s clever change of pace removed Talat for 18 off 16 deliveries, and the innings soon unravelled.

From being 104 for the loss of four wickets to stumbling to 136 for eight in the penultimate over, the Zalmi lost four wickets for just 32 runs.

Haris chipped in with a useful 28-run cameo off 21, and it would harsh not to mention Alzarri Joseph’s 24-run cameo off just 13 balls that helped Zalmis reach 147.

For the home team, Khushdil was the pick of the bowlers registering figures of three for 20 in three overs. Pacer Abbas Afridi also picked up three scalps, keeping his line and length tight throughout. Aamer Jamal and Mir Hamza also chipped in with one wicket each.