RAWALPINDI: Babar Azam played a masterpiece here at a jam-packed Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday. But the captain’s knock could not help Peshawar Zalmi cross the line thanks to an imposing total put up by Karachi Kings.
Babar’s 49-ball 94 — studded with 10 fours and four sixes — was the standout innings of the high-scoring match in which Zalmi sought to overhaul the 238-run target as the HBL Pakistan Super League X resumed with a bang after a nine-day hiatus due to military clashes between India and Pakistan.
But despite Babar’s show, Zalmi fell short by 23 runs in the end with the victory securing Kings a spot in the playoffs.
Zalmi, on the other hand, will now need to beat Lahore Qalandars in their last league stage match to make the playoffs.
The drone strike by India very close to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium last week seems to have only rejuvenated the tournament, with great fanfare and renewed fervor marking the PSL’s resumption.
Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, Inter-Services Public Relations director general Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi were all present at the stadium to witness and encourage the spirited crowd.
Before the start of match, the national anthem was played and tributes were paid to the martyrs of Pakistan’s recent military conflict with India.
The ceremony also featured fireworks as national flags dotted the stadium. Soon, there were fireworks from the Kings thanks largely due to captain David Warner and James Vince.
Kings, who were put into bat, had a disastrous start to their innings when pacer Luke Wood cleaned up Ben McDermott on the very first ball of the match with a slightly short ball that nipped back sharply.
But Vince joined Warner to resurrect the innings and in the process helped Kings cross 50-mark in five overs. After Warner welcomed part-time spinner Saim for a couple of fours on the off-side in the second over, right-handed Vince belted three fours in the fourth bowled by pacer Ali Raza. Vince in the next over struck a six over deep square leg and a four while Warner contributed a boundary as medium-pacer Ahmed Daniyal started off with an 18-run over.
Kings collected 57-1 in the powerplay.
Warner and Vince continued to trouble Zalmi bowlers after the powerplay. While Warner smashed a six off leg-spinner Arif Yaqoob in the eighth over, both the batters took a boundary each off Ali in the next over. Vince completed his half-century off just 29 balls as he pulled Arif for a boundary lifting Kings to a solid 100-1 at the halfway stage.
Ahmed in the 11th over conceded 14 runs as Warner hit him for back-to-back fours while Vince collected a boundary with a straight shot. Warner got to his half-century off 31 balls with a four in the 12th over by Hussain Talat.
Warner in the 13th over thumped Saim for a four with a reverse sweep before lifting him for a six on the on-side. Vince’s straight four made it a richer.
Hussain was walloped for three fours by Warner in the 14th as Kings crossed 150 in 13.4 overs.
Vince’s superb 42-ball 72 — laced with 11 fours and a six — was finally ended in the 15th over by Ali who induced the batter to play a faster ball that nibbled away as wicket-keeper Haris took the catch. The dismissal ended a marathon 162-run partnership off 89 balls.
Wood dismissed Irfan Khan Niazi who was caught by Babar at long-on in the 16th as Kings slumped to 165-3.
After making 86 off 50, Warner was caught by Saim on the mid-wicket boundary off Arif in the 17th over. The southpaw struck 11 fours and two sixes.
From 167-4, Khushdil Shah (43 not off 15) and Mohammad Nabi (26 not out off 10) steered Kings to a massive 237-4 adding 70 runs off just 25 balls.
Zalmi made a brisk start to the chase that included back-to-back fours by Saim off paceman Hasan Ali in the third over, Mohammad Haris (nine) in an attempt to play a lofted shot was caught by James Vince off paceman Hasan Ali in the same over.
At 30-1 in the third over, entered Babar. Saim and Babar helped their team post 59-1 in the powerplay as the former in a ramp shot lifted pacer Abbas Afridi for a six over fine leg.
Both the batters got reprieve. In the fifth over, Babar was dropped by Abbas at third man off fast bowler Mir Hamza in the fifth over while Saim got a life in the ninth over when wicket-keeper Saad Baig failed to grab a high ball off Hasan Ali.
Saim and Babar added 77 off 47 balls before the former was sent back to the pavilion by Abbas in the 11th over, caught by Vince. The left-hander made 47 off 31 balls with the aid of five fours and a couple of sixes.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore played a 15-ball cameo of 20 before getting caught by Warner at point off pacer Mir Hamza in the 17th over. This ended a 62-run stand between Kohler-Cadmore and Babar. Max Bryant (seven) soon followed as the asking rate touched an almost-impossible 22-plus.
When Babar was run out while trying to take a second run in the 18th over, it was all over for Zalmi.
Maaz Sadaqat and Hussain Talat tried hard but it was too little too late as Zalmi ended their innings at 214-5.
Scoreboar
KARACHI KINGS:
Ben McDermott b Wood 0
David Warner c Saim b Arif 86
James Vince c Haris b Ali 72
Irfan Khan Niazi c Babar b Wood 2
Khushdil Shah not out 43
Mohammad Nabi not out 26
EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1, W-5) 8
TOTAL (for four wickets, 20 overs) 237
DID NOT BAT: Saad Baig, Hasan Ali, Aamer Jamal, Mir Hamza, Abbas Afridi
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0 (McDermott), 2-162 (Vince), 3-165 (Irfan), 4-167 (Warner)
BOWLING: Wood 4-0-19-2, Saim 2-0-27-0, Ali 4-0-60-1 (1w), Ahmed 4-0-66-0 (2w), Hussain 3-0-34-0 (2w), Arif 3-0-29-1 (1w)
PESHAWAR ZALMI:
Saim Ayub c Vince b Abbas 47
Mohammad Haris c Vince b Hasan 9
Babar Azam run out 94
Tom Kohler-Cadmore c Warner b Hamza 20
Max Bryant c Vince b Abbas 7
Maaz Sadaqat not out 19
Hussain Talat not out 12
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-1) 6
TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 214
DID NOT BAT: Luke Wood, Ahmed Daniyal, Ali Raza
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-30 (Haris), 2-107 (Saim), 3-169 (Kohler-Cadmore), 4-178 (Bryant), 5-184 (Babar)
BOWLING: 4-0-33-1 (1w), Nabi 4-0-36-0, Hasan 4-0-30-1, Abbas 4-0-48-2, Aamer 3-0-51-0, Khushdil 1-0-11-0
RESULT: Karachi Kings won by 23 runs
Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2025
