LAHORE: On a day where history was written at the Gaddafi Stadium, Peshawar Zalmi secured a clinical seven-wicket victory over the Karachi Kings in the 32nd match of PSL 11. While the record books will remember 18-year-old Ali Raza for becoming the youngest Pakistani to claim a T20 hat-trick, the chase was defined by the composed brilliance of Kusal Mendis and Farhan Yousaf, who steered Zalmi to their target of 183 with seven balls to spare.
Karachi Kings posted 182 for nine and conceded 186 for three to Zalmi in 18.5 overs. The evening began with Karachi Kings opting to bat, a decision that initially looked inspired. Jason Roy was the cornerstone of the Kings’ effort, unleashing a flurry of boundaries to reach fifty in just 30 balls. Roy’s sublime 85 off 51 deliveries, punctuated by 11 fours and two sixes, provided the backbone of the innings. He found able support from Azam Khan, who played a quintessential cameo of 35 from 19 balls, taking the Kings to a formidable 161/3 by the end of the 17th over. At that stage, a total north of 200 seemed inevitable.
However, the final over of the Karachi innings produced one of the most extraordinary sequences in Pakistan Super League history. Teenage pacer Ali Raza, who had already claimed the scalp of David Warner earlier, was tasked with the 20th over. What followed was a total capitulation by the Kings’ lower order.
After a chaotic start to the over that included a run-out, Raza found his line and length with lethal precision. He dismissed Khushdil Shah hit-wicket, followed by cleaning up Shahid Aziz with a searing delivery. On the final ball of the innings, he bowled Hasan Ali to complete a sensational hat-trick. Raza finished with figures of 4/41, but more importantly, his triple-strike meant Karachi scored zero runs while losing four wickets on the final four legal deliveries, finishing on 182/9.
Chasing 183, Peshawar Zalmi’s Powerplay was a mixed bag. They lost the influential Babar Azam for 25 and James Vince for 16, leaving the side slightly wobbling at 45/2. When Aaron Hardie fell shortly after, the Kings sensed an opening. However, Kusal Mendis had other plans.
Mendis took the anchor role but never let the required rate climb out of reach. He reached his half-century in 28 balls, blending traditional cricket shots with inventive white-ball strokeplay. Seeing the Kings’ spinners struggle with a lack of grip, Mendis began to accelerate, punishing anything short or wide.
Mendis found a perfect ally in Farhan Yousaf. Together, the duo dismantled the Kings’ bowling attack in an unbeaten 119-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Yousaf was particularly impressive, matching Mendis’ aggression to finish with 58 off 36 balls, including three massive sixes.
Mendis remained the protagonist until the end, finishing unbeaten on 80 off 43 balls. The pair’s century stand sucked the life out of the Karachi defense, as senior bowlers like Hasan Ali (1/52) and Abbas Afridi (1/46) struggled to contain the flow of runs. Zalmi crossed the finish line in the 19th over, reaching 186/3 and securing two vital points.
While Jason Roy’s 85 was a masterclass in opening the batting, it was overshadowed by the dual narrative of Raza’s youthful exuberance and Mendis’ veteran-like composure. For Karachi, the collapse in the final over—effectively losing 4 wickets for 0 runs—will serve as a painful reminder of how quickly momentum can shift in T20 cricket. Peshawar Zalmi, meanwhile, continues to look like a formidable force as the tournament moves toward its business end.
