Mendis, Farhan kep Peshawar Zalmi unbeaten in PSL 11

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.

Yousaf then shifted gears, striking boundaries at will as Zalmi comfortably crossed the 150-run mark.

He eventually sealed the victory in style, finishing the chase with a boundary to bring up his maiden PSL half-century.

Farhan Yousaf remained unbeaten on 54 off 35 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes, while Kusal Mendis top-scored with a superb 80 off 43 deliveries, including five fours and four sixe

Earlier, a stunning hat-trick from Ali Raza overshadowed a strong batting display by Karachi Kings as they posted 182-9 against Peshawar Zalmi.

Opting to bat first, Karachi Kings built a competitive total on the back of a commanding innings from Jason Roy and a late surge by Azam Khan. Openers David Warner and Roy provided a steady start, adding 35 runs before Ali Raza struck early, clean bowling Warner for 11 off 13 deliveries.

Following the early breakthrough, Salman Ali Agha partnered Roy to keep the scoreboard ticking as Karachi crossed the 50-run mark comfortably. However, Aaron Hardie removed Salman for 12, leaving the Kings at 71-2 in 7.4 overs.

Roy continued to anchor the innings with fluent strokeplay, registering his ninth PSL half-century. He found support from Reeza Hendricks, and the pair added useful runs before Sufiyan Muqeem dismissed Hendricks for 13, reducing Karachi to 98-3.

Azam Khan then injected momentum into the innings with an aggressive knock, forming a 63-run partnership with Roy. The duo propelled Karachi past the 150-run mark before Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed Azam for a quickfire 35 off 19 balls, an innings featuring three fours and three sixes.

Roy’s impressive innings came to an end soon after, as Mohammad Basit removed him for 85 off 51 deliveries, which included 11 boundaries and two sixes.

The final over saw dramatic scenes as Ali Raza turned the game on its head with a remarkable spell. He first contributed to a run-out of Abbas Afridi before Khushdil Shah was dismissed hit-wicket on the next ball. Raza then produced a pinpoint yorker to dismiss Shahid Aziz, before completing his hat-trick by removing Hasan Ali for a first-ball duck on the final delivery of the innings.

Despite the late collapse, Karachi managed to post a challenging total of 182-9 in their 20 overs.

Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, entered the match in strong form, sitting at the top of the PSL 11 points table. They remain unbeaten in the tournament so far, with seven wins from eight matches, while one fixture was abandoned due to rain.

In contrast, Karachi Kings have struggled this season and are currently placed seventh, having secured just three victories in seven outings.