PSL X: Warner, Vince steer Karachi to 237/4 against Peshawar

After being invited to bat first, Karachi Kings set a 238-run target against Peshawar Zalmi in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 being played at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

The Kings registered a formidable total of 237/4 in their allotted 20 overs, courtesy of a marathon second-wicket partnership between Warner and Vince.

The Kings, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as Luke Wood cleaned up debutant Ben McDermott on the first delivery of the innings.

Following the early stutter, Vince joined Warner in the middle, and together they launched an astounding recovery by putting together 162 runs for the second wicket until Ali Raza dismissed the former in the 15th over.

Vince smashed 11 fours and a six on his way to a 42-ball 72.

The Kings then lost another wicket in the next over when Wood dismissed in-form Muhammad Irfan Khan for two.

Arif Yaqoob gave Zalmi another massive breakthrough in the 17th over when he got Warner caught at deep mid-wicket.

The left-handed opener remained the top-scorer for the Kings with 86 off 50 deliveries, studded with 11 fours and two sixes.

The back-to-back wickets, however, did not dent the Kings’ march towards a big total as all-rounders Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nabi added valuable runs at a brisk rate as they knitted an unbeaten 70-run partnership.

Khushdil was the core aggressor of the stand with a blistering 43 not out from 15 deliveries, while Nabi made an unbeaten 26 off 10 balls.

Wood was the standout bowler for Zalmi with two wickets for just 19 runs in his four overs, while Arif and Ali chipped in with one scalp apiece.

The Pakistan Super League resumed on Saturday with players and match officials honouring the armed forces in a show of solidarity at a ceremony attended by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

Before the start of the game, they paid tribute to the martyrs who laid down their lives in defence of the country.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry were also present in the stadium to watch the PSL match.

Renowned singers Sahir Ali Bagga and Asrar Shah delivered electrifying performances to honour the bravery of Pakistan’s armed forces, followed by a fireworks display.

The cricket board also announced that the tournament’s three stages would be named in honour of the army, navy, and air force.

The tribute comes in the wake of the Pakistani armed forces’ response to Indian aggression amid recent regional tensions.

Recent Indian hostilities toward Pakistan led to the suspension of both PSL 10 and the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).

Playing XIs

Peshawar Zalmi: Mohammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam (c), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Hussain Talat, Max Bryant, Maaz Sadaqat, Luke Wood, Ahmed Daniyal, Arif Yaqoob and Ali Raza.

Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Ben McDermott, James Vince, Saad Baig, Khushdil Shah, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Aamir Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza.