By TN Media News | Lahore
Lahore: Peshawar Zalmi secured a dominant 55-run win over Karachi Kings in Match 19 of the HBL Pakistan Super League 7, played on Sunday afternoon at Gaddafi Stadium. The victory kept Zalmi’s play-off hopes alive while deepening the crisis for Kings, who suffered their sixth consecutive loss of the season.
Haris Shines on Debut: Put in to bat, Peshawar Zalmi posted a commanding total of 193 for six. Debutant Mohammad Haris, named Player of the Match, played a blistering knock of 49 off 27 balls. His innings featured three boundaries and four sixes. He was supported by opener Hazratullah Zazai, who scored 52 off 42 balls, registering his third fifty in just four matches against the Kings.
The pair added 97 runs for the opening stand, capitalizing on early fielding errors. Shoaib Malik chipped in with 31 off 21 balls, while Ben Cutting added 26 off 15. Chris Jordan was the most successful bowler for Karachi Kings, taking three wickets for 41 runs.
Karachi Kings Falter Again: Chasing 194, Karachi Kings never looked in control. Sharjeel Khan departed early, scoring just 14 off 16 deliveries. Captain Babar Azam held one end, scoring 59 off 46 balls, but struggled to accelerate.
Joe Clarke added 26 off 26 balls, but his dismissal by Liam Livingstone stalled momentum further. The middle and lower order failed to mount a serious challenge as the required rate climbed rapidly.
The Kings ended their innings at 138 for six in 20 overs. Wahab Riaz and Salman Irshad each took two wickets to tighten Zalmi’s grip on the game.
Haris Thanks Team for Support: Speaking after the match, Mohammad Haris credited the team management for trusting him.
“I played the way they asked me to,” he said. “We had worked on improving our powerplay performance, and it paid off today.” He cited Jos Buttler and Mohammad Rizwan as his role models and hoped to make the most of future opportunities in the league.
Match Summary
Peshawar Zalmi: 193-6 (20 overs)
Zazai 52, Haris 49, Malik 31; Jordan 3-41
Karachi Kings: 138-6 (20 overs)
Babar 59, Clarke 26; Wahab 2-26, Irshad 2-24
With this win, Peshawar Zalmi improved their record to three wins in seven matches. Meanwhile, Karachi Kings now need to win all remaining games—and rely on other results—to have any chance of reaching the playoffs.
