Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi, PSL 2026 Live Score: Kusal Mendis (109 off 52) and Babar Azam (87*) starred for Peshawar Zalmi as they defeated Karachi Kings by a whopping margin of 159 runs. With the ball in hand, the Peshawar bowlers were right on the money as they bowled out the Kings for only 87 runs. Iftikhar Ahmed, Nahid Rana, and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up three wickets each.
Mendis became the first Sri Lankan to hit a century in the PSL, while Azam completed the milestone of 12,000 runs in T20s. However, it was Abdul Samad who provided the finishing touch to the innings, scoring 40 runs in only 12 balls.
Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi Toss Update: Karachi Kings won the toss, and surprisingly, David Warner, who had joined his team, decided to bowl first against Peshawar Zalmi.
The high-flying Karachi Kings will play their first game at home. The National Stadium in Karachi gets ready to host the second leg of the ongoing Pakistan Super League. However, playing their first game at home, the Kings were struck with a controversy that could stand in the way of their skipper, David Warner, playing this game. The former Australian batter was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested on Sunday and was later released. However, while Warner was cleared to play in the Pakistan Super League, there has not been any official confirmation of his availability for tonight’s game. Meanwhile, Peshawar Zalmi is the only team that has not been defeated so far this season. While the Karachi-based team won all three encounters, Zalmi had one of its games abandoned due to rain.
Karachi Kings started their PSL 2026 campaign with three wins on the trot. Led by David Warner, the Karachi-based side opened their season with a 14-run win over Quetta Gladiators. In their following game against the defending champions, Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars by four wickets in a controversy-ridden clash. The encounter between the two sides saw Fakhar Zaman being banned for two games for tampering with the ball. Karachi Kings defeated Rawalpindiz by five wickets to record their third win of the season. In spite of having won all their games, the Kings still find themselves in third place in the points table.
Facing Peshawar Zalmi tonight, the biggest point of concern for the team would be the possible absence of their skipper, David Warner. Warner has scored 93 runs so far in the season with the bat in hand.
Peshawar Zalmi, like their opponent for the night, have been undefeated in the PSL 2026 so far. However, unfortunately for the Babar Azam-led side, one of their games against Islamabad United was washed out. In their opening game, the Zalmi defeated Rawalpindiz by five wickets before their second game was abandoned. Coming to this clash, the Peshawar-based team defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen.
David Warner (C), Muhammad Waseem, Salman Agha, Azam Khan(w), Khushdil Shah, Moeen Ali, Abbas Afridi, Saad Baig, Hasan Ali, Adam Zampa, Mir Hamza, Aqib Ilyas, Ihsanullah, Haroon Arshad, Khuzaima Tanveer, Shahid Aziz, Rizwanullah, Mohammad Hamza, Reeza Hendricks
Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Haris, Kusal Mendis(w), Farhan Yousaf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Michael Bracewell, Abdul Samad, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Aaron Hardie, Ali Raza, Khalid Usman, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shahnawaz Dahani, Khurram Shahzad, Brian Bennett, Mirza Tahir Baig, Abdul Subhan, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Basit
It is all over at National Stadium as Iftikhar Ahmed finishes off what he started. Having picked up the first wicket in the second innings, Iftikhar picked up the final wicket as Peshawar Zalmi thumped Karachi Kings by 159 runs!
It might be a matter of minutes at the National Stadium as the Karachi Kings lost their ninth wicket. Sufiyan Muqeem picked up his third wicket of the clash on the second ball of the 15th over. The Kings are staring down at a defeat of more than 150 runs here.
The batters from Karachi Kings are falling like ninepins. On a pitch where their bowlers went for 246 runs, the batters have failed miserably. Karachi Kings lost their seventh wicket as Nahid Rana picked up two wickets in the 14th over. Khusdil Shah and Adam Zampa were the latest batters to fall.
KRK: 81/8 After 14 Overs
Finally, the action at National Stadium, Karachi, has resumed. Sufiyan Muqeem came to bowl the 13th over after a lengthy delay between the two overs. Khushdil Shah struck a boundary as the clash continued to slip away from Karachi Kings.
KRK: 81/6 After 13 Overs
There is something wrong with the spider cam which is causing the delay at National Stadium after the strategic timeout.
Karachi Kings have lost the plot after 12 overs of the second innings. Chasing 247 they got off to the worst start possible. The Karachi-based franchise has scored only 74 runs , losing six wickets. With 173 runs needed in the last eight overs, the Kings can only hope to reduce the margin of defeat.
Sufiyan Muqeem got his second wicket of the night as he dismissed Azam Khan. It was an unfortunate dismissal for Azam as the ball ricocheted after flicking his thigh pad.
Aamer Jamal bowled a couple of wide deliveries in the 10th over but the over went for only eight runs. The pacer was hit for a four by Azam Khan.
Like his bowling partners, Sufiyan Muqeem started with a wicket in his first over. The leg-spinner dismissed Moeen Ali as Karachi Kings lose half their side inside nine overs.
Aamer Jamal gave 11 runs in his opening over. However, with the required run rate being in excess of 16 runs per over, the Karachi Kings are still behind the eight ball.
Nahid Rana has been pretty hard to contend with. The Bangladeshi pacer after giving only a solitary run in his first over picked up Saad Baig’s wicket as the Karachi Kings continue to slip further in the chase.
The Karachi Kings find themselves in a slump after the power play. The David Warner-led side chasing 247 has lost three wickets with only 33 runs on the board.
Nahid Rana bowling his first over of the night started strongly giving only one run in the fifth over. The Zalmi are right on top of the Karachi Kings after setting a huge target.
Finally an over without a wicket for Karachi Kings. Saad Baig hit a couple of boundaries as 11 runs were scored in the fourth over.
The Peshawar Zalmi are on absolute fire. In three overs they have picked up three wickets. Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed Salman Ali Agha on the first ball of the third over.
It has not been a good week for David Warner. After some off-the-field issues resulting in his arrest in Australia, the left-handed batter was dismissed for a first-ball duck in his return. Shoriful Islam got the better of Warner on the first ball of the second over as Zalmi picked up their second wicket.
It is the spin bowling of Iftikhar Ahmed who got the ball in his hand in the first over. He struck immediately, dismissing Muhammad Waseem only on the third ball of the crease. Salman Ali Agha struck a four as the Zalmi continued their dominance in the clash.
The Karachi Kings will have their task cut out as the chase is only moments away from beginning. Muhammad Waseem and David Warner will know that their teams need a big power play from the two batters.
No century for Babar Azam, but it is Abdul Samad who has provided a powerful finishing touch to the innings. Coming in to bat in the 17th over, Samad scored 40 runs in 12 balls hitting four sixes and three fours in the innings.
Abdul Samad has played a blinder of a knock in his short stay at the crease. The right-handed batter smashed three sixes in a row against Abbas Afridi in the penultimate over.
After Kusal Mendis’ century, Babar Azam would fancy his chances of making it to the triple-digit figure. The Peshawar Zalmi skipper is 15 runs away from the milestone and he has two overs to reach to his century.
A special knock from Kusal Mendis came to an end in the 17th over. Abbas Afridi dismissed the Sri Lankan batter on the third ball of the over. On the very next delivery, he was hit by Michael Bracewell for a six as the runs continued to flow in Karachi. Abbas bounced back and dismissed Bracewell on the final ball of the over.
Kusal Mendis became the first Sri Lankan to hit a century in the Pakistan Super League. The wicketkeeper batter reached the triple-digit mark in 48 balls for Peshawar Zalmi. He hit a four on the final ball of the 16th over. Babar Azam too struck a six in the over.
Abbas Afridi, bowling his second over was welcomed with a couple of fours by Kusal Mendis. The right-arm pacer went for 11 runs in the 14th over after conceding 13 in his first over.
Adam Zampa’s third over went for 18 runs as the Peshawar Zalmi are looking at a score well beyond 220. It was once against Kusal Mendis, who is taking the charge against the Aussie spinner.
David Warner brought his wicket-taking bowler, Khushdil Shah, into the attack as he searched for another breakthrough. However, there is no respite for the Karachi Kings. Kusal Mendis struck a couple of fours in the 12th over and is looking in great touch to score his century.
Right after the drinks break, it is the same story as the Peshawar Zalmi continue to score at a quick rate. Babar Azam struck three fours on the trot against Moeen Ali and also brought up his half-century in 32 balls.
Adam Zampa brought some control to the innings by giving only six runs in the 10th over. The Australian spinner went for four singles and a double.
Kusal Mendis reached his fifty in only 26 balls on the first ball of the ninth over. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper struck a couple of fours to end another big over.
There is no stopping Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis. David Warner threw the ball to Adam Zampa to break this stand. However, the Aussie leg-spinner was struck for a six by Mendis as the Zalmi continue going their merry way.
Peshawar Zalmi, in spite of losing a wicket in the opening over, ended the power play right on top of Karachi Kings. Both Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis have gotten off to starts with Zalmi scoring at 11 runs per over in the first six overs.
Kusal Mendis was dropped twice in the fifth over, and the Karachi Kings paid for their mistakes. The Sri Lankan batter struck three fours on the trot, with Abbas Afridi being the unlucky bowler on the receiving end.
It was a change of ends for Khushdil Shah, which has not worked for the Karachi Kings. The lone wicket-taker after conceding only a couple of runs in his first over was taken to the cleanders by Babar Azam. The Zalmi skipper struck a couple of fours and a solitary in the fourth over.
Khushdil Shah, despite picking up a wicket in his opening over, was replaced by Mohammad Hamza. The left-arm medium pacer bowled a couple of wides in the third over and was struck for a four on the final ball of the over.
Babar Azam welcomed Mir Hamza with a four on the first ball of the second over. The right-handed batter was lucky that an edge raced to the boundary. Kusal Mendis, coming in at number three, was off the mark quickly as he struck a couple of sixes to end the second over.
It is Khushdil Shah who struck in his very first over. The pacer dismissed Mohammad Haris for a second-ball duck, picking a wicket in the first over of the innings.
Babar Azam will walk out to bat in a few minutes facing a strong bowing attack featuring the likes of Abbas Afridi, Moeen Ali, Adam Zampa, and Mir Hamza.
Mohammad Haris, Babar Azam (C), Kusal Mendis (wk), Michael Bracewell, Farhan Yousaf, Abdul Samad, Iftikhar Ahmed, Aamer Jamal, Sufiyan Muqeem, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana
Muhammad Waseem, David Warner (C), Salman Agha, Azam Khan (wk), Khushdil Shah, Moeen Ali, Abbas Afridi, Saad Baig, Mohammad Hamza, Adam Zampa, Mir Hamza
Karachi Kings playing their first game at home this season, won the toss and decided to bowl first.
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this crucial clash between the Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi.
