Peshawar Zalmi defeated Karachi Kings by two runs in the second match of the eighth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi on Tuesday.
Batting first, Peshawar posted a mammoth total of 199 runs on the scoreboard before restricting the home side to 197-5 in 20 overs thanks to a brilliant innings by Cadmore and brilliant bowling by the bowlers.
Captain Imad Wasim and Shoaib Malik shone as Karachi fought back.
However, Khurram rose to the occasion and repaid his captain Babar’s faith with a brilliant last over to win the game for his team.
In the last over, with 16 runs needed off six balls, Khurram opened with a wide yorker for one run.
The second ball was also an almost flawless yorker that also got a run.
Khurram bowled a no-ball on the third delivery but bowled a good free hit. The right-arm bowler kept his momentum going to defend the total by bowling the next two balls in good areas and not allowing Imad and Ben Cutting to reach the total.
All-rounder Imad fought hard and scored an unbeaten 80 off 47 balls that included seven fours and four maximums.
Imad and Malik put on a 131-run partnership for Karachi’s comeback as Peshawar Zalmi’s bowlers demolished the opposition’s top order.
The home side lost their first wicket when Sharjeel Khan fell to former Yellow Storm captain Wahab Riaz.
Later, Jimmy Neesham sent Australian batsman Matthew Wade (23) and Pakistan’s young all-rounder Qasim Akram (7) back to the pavilion.
Meanwhile, Salman Irshad got a wicket on his very first ball as he took the wicket of Haider Ali who scored 12 runs off 10 balls.
After losing four wickets, captain Imad Wasim and veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik forged a brilliant partnership to chase down the target for Karachi.
In the 17th over, Wahab Riaz had a chance to send Malik packing, but he dropped the catch on Neesham’s ball.
However, Wahab got the better of Malik in the final over as the all-rounder was caught out by the veteran bowler after completing his half-century.
Wahab was unlucky on the last ball of his over as he bowled a nine ball which sent Ben Cutting out. The Australian batsman had to stay at the crease but the left-arm pacer made a brilliant comeback with a wide yorker on a free-hit delivery.
Earlier, Tom Koehler-Cadmore helped Peshawar Zalmi post 199 runs on the scoreboard.
After losing two quick wickets, Cadmore and captain Babar Azam helped Zalmi get back into the game.
The English batsman produced a sensational performance for his team, scoring 92 off 50 balls, hitting seven fours and six maximums.
Cadmore hit Kings skipper Imad for three consecutive maximums, while Babar showed off his impressive skills for hitting boundaries.
Meanwhile, Babar also supported Cadmore, scoring seven fours and a PSL-high 24th fifty.
The two batsmen remained at the crease with a mighty partnership of 139 runs for the third wicket.
However, this partnership was broken when Imran Tahir sent Babar back to the pavilion after scoring 68 runs off 46 balls.
After Babar’s departure, Sri Lankan batsman Bhanuka Rajapakse came to the crease but was sent packing after scoring six runs off six balls.
After Mohammad Amir hit two boundaries in the first over, Mohammad Haris greeted Mir Hamza with a boundary, but the left-arm pacer left the young wicketkeeper batsman lbw with an in-swinging yorker.
In the same over, Saeem Ayub was dismissed after an unfortunate run-out after Babar’s straight drive, which fell into the hands of Hamza before falling wickets at the non-striker’s end.
Line-ups
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Matthew Wade, Haider Ali, Shoaib Malik, Qasim Akram, Ben Cutting, Imad Wasim, Andrew Tye, Imran Tahir, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir.
Peshawar Zalmi: Babar Azam, Mohammad Haris, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Saeem Ayub, Tom Koehler Cadmore, James Neesham, Shakib Al Hasan, Wahab Riaz, Khurram Shahzad, Sufyan Muqim, Salman Irshad.
