MATCH REPORT
Follow UsBabar Azam (77*) and Mohammad Nabi (67) put on 118 off just 63 deliveries to help Karachi Kings beat Peshawar Zalmi by six wickets in Match 13 of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 at the National Stadium. With this win, Kings go top of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 table and also Zalmi’s three-match winning streak comes to an end.
Kings were in a similar predicament as Zalmi at the halfway stage, but just like Peshawar did, Karachi too found a way to stay in the game and eventually registered a thumping win. The result could have been different had Nabi’s catch would have been held in the deep by Amad Butt, but luck favoured the Afghanistan all-rounder. Kings were also aided by some below-par fielding effort by Zalmi and in the end, a target of 189 too was chased down. All 13 matches in the PSL 2021 have been won by the team batting second – a trend that seems no sign of ending.
From 69 for 4 at the end of 10 overs, Peshawar Zalmi eventually finished with 188 for 5 from the 20 overs, thanks to some sensible batting and insane hitting in the end. It was Ravi Bopara (58*) who held up one end and he got a reliable partner in Shefrane Rutherford (46), who mixed caution with aggression and put on 82 runs with Bopara for the fifth wicket from just 54 deliveries.
Amad Butt, in the end, scored a quick-fire unbeaten 7-ball 27 as he helped Zalmi scoring 32 runs off the final over bowled by Dan Christian – the most in PSL history. However, with the ball, he conceded 56 runs from four overs, which are the most expensive figures for Zalmi in PSL history. The Australian redeemed himself by hitting two fours and a six after Nabi was dismissed to take Karachi over the line.
Karachi will look to keep up the momentum when they take on Multan Sultans on Friday (March 5) and Peshawar will look to bounce back with a win when they play Lahore Qalandars on Saturday (March 6)
Brief scores:
Peshawar Zalmi 188 for 5 in 20 overs (Ravi Bopara 58*, Sherfane Rutherford 46; Abbas Afridi 2 for 27) lost to Karachi Kings 191 for 4 in 19.3 overs (Babar Azam 77*, Mohammad Nabi 67; Saqib Mahmood 2 for 41) by 6 wickets.
Player of the match: Mohammad Nabi