Kusal Mendis and Farhan Yousaf’s fifties backed by Ali Raza’s four-wicket haul powered Peshawar Zalmi to a commanding victory over Karachi Kings as the former continue their flawless run in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11.
Chasing 183, Zalmi reached the target in 18.5 overs for the loss of just three wickets, powered by blistering knocks from Mendis and Farhan.
The chase began confidently as openers James Vince and skipper Babar Azam provided a solid foundation, scoring freely and setting the tone with a fluent partnership. However, Hasan Ali provided the breakthrough, removing Vince for 16 off 10 balls, which included two fours and a six, ending the 37-run opening stand. Zalmi then lost their second wicket inside the powerplay as Abbas Afridi dismissed Babar Azam, who made 25 off 19 deliveries with four boundaries and a six, leaving the side at 45-2 in 5.2 overs.
Mendis anchored the innings in fine style, continuing to score at a strong pace as he brought up his fourth PSL half-century. Peshawar slipped to 95-3 when Aaron Hardie was dismissed cheaply for five off six balls by Khushdil Shah. Mendis found solid support from Farhan Yousaf as the duo rebuilt the innings with a composed and crucial 50-run partnership, steering Zalmi into a commanding position.