Pakistan T20 captain and world’s number one T20 player Babar Azam showed his class yet again as he hammered Peshawar Zalmi bolwers all around the ground to lay a solid foundation for Karachi Kings to put up a huge 201-4 total on the board.
Peshawar Zalmi captain Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field first, a decision with which Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim was quite happy.
Sharjeel Khan made his comeback in the Pakistan Super League for Karachi Kings after serving a fixing ban when he came to open with Babar. But his comeback was cut short by Hasan Ali as Sharjeel was caught by Shoaib Malik after playing some lusty blows that showed he still have the same firepower in his rusty arms. He hit two sixes and a four before bowing out for 19 runs after playing 11 balls.
Cameron Delport also could not last long as he was bowled by Mohammad Mohsin after scoring 20 runs off 16 balls in ninth over. But Babar was the main man for Karachi Kings as he continued to score at a bristling pace.
Karachi Kings captain Imad was next to come and Babar and Imad totally tilted the match in favour of Kings as Zalmi bowlers looked totally hapless infront of the formidable Pakistan duo.
Babar scored 78 runs off 56 deliveries before a Rahat Ali’s throw cut his innings short. He hit seven fours and two sixes. Imad was also brutal at Zalmi bowlers as he raced to his fifty in 29 balls and hit three sixes and as many fours in the process. But he also departed very next ball courtesy to Shoaib Malik’s catch off the bowling of Hasan.
Iftikhar Ahmed also continued his good form in white ball cricket as he remained not out after hitting two sixes and a four to muster 16 runs off three balls he faced. Chadwick Walton also remained unbeaten for 9 runs after facing six balls. He hit on boundary.
It was a nightmarish outing for Zalmi bowlers as all went for big hits and failed to impress. Hassan Ali took two wickets for 52 runs and Mohsin took one for 35.