A blazing century from Kusal Mendis and a classic Babar Azam innings, followed by a ruthless bowling display, helped Peshawar Zalmi crush Karachi Kings by 159 runs in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11).
Chasing a towering 247-run target, Karachi Kings were bundled out for just 87 in 16.1 overs, suffering their first defeat of the tournament in emphatic fashion.
Azam Khan was the top scorer for Karachi with a subdued 25 off 27 balls, while Saad Baig made 14 and Khushdil Shah added 10. No other batter could offer meaningful resistance as Zalmi’s bowlers completely ran through the lineup.
Nahid Rana, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Iftikhar Ahmed shared the damage with three wickets each, while Shoriful Islam picked up one.
Earlier, Zalmi put Karachi to the sword after being asked to bat first, piling up a mammoth 246/3 in 20 overs, a total that rewrote the PSL record books.
The score is now the highest total at the National Bank Stadium in PSL history, going past the previous best of 238/3. It is also Peshawar Zalmi’s highest-ever total in the league, surpassing their previous record of 242/6, and stands as the sixth-highest team total in PSL history.
Highest Total in PSL History
| Rank | Team | Total | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quetta Gladiators | 263/3 | Islamabad United | 2025 |
| 2 | Multan Sultans | 262/3 | Quetta Gladiators | 2023 |
| 3 | Quetta Gladiators | 253/8 | Multan Sultans | 2023 |
| 4 | Islamabad United | 251/5 | Karachi Kings | 2025 |
| 5 | Islamabad United | 247/2 | Peshawar Zalmi | 2021 |
| 6 | Peshawar Zalmi | 246/3 | Karachi Kings | 2026 |
Zalmi’s innings had begun poorly when Mohammad Haris was dismissed for a duck on just the second ball, but that early setback only brought together the pair that would take the game away from Karachi.
Mendis and Babar Azam stitched together a stunning 191-run stand for the second wicket, which is now the highest partnership for any wicket in PSL history. The previous record was 176, also involving Babar during his time with Karachi Kings.
Highest Partnership in PSL
| Rank | Players | Team | Partnership | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kusal Mendis and Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 191 runs | Karachi Kings | 2026 |
| 2 | Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam | Karachi Kings | 176 runs | Islamabad United | 2021 |
| 3 | Saim Ayub and Babar Azam | Peshawar Zalmi | 162 runs | Quetta Gladiators | 2023 |
| 4 | David Warner and JM Vince | Karachi Kings | 162 runs | Peshawar Zalmi | 2025 |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone and Babar Azam | Karachi Kings | 157 runs | Multan Sultans | 2019 |
Mendis was the chief aggressor, smashing 109 off just 52 balls with 14 fours and four sixes. His innings finally ended in the 17th over when Abbas Afridi broke the massive stand.
Babar, meanwhile, anchored the innings superbly and remained unbeaten on 87 off 51 deliveries, striking 10 fours and two sixes. He later added an unbeaten 49-run partnership with Abdul Samad, who provided the late burst with a fiery 40 off 12 balls.
The match also brought another individual milestone for Babar, who became the fastest batter in men’s T20 history to complete 12,000 runs, reaching the landmark in 338 innings.
For Karachi, Abbas Afridi was the most successful bowler with 2 for 55, while Khushdil Shah claimed one wicket.
But the night belonged entirely to Zalmi, who not only sealed one of the biggest wins of the season, but also left behind a trail of records in a statement performance.
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