PSL 2026: Mendis 109, Babar 87* take Zalmi to record-shattering win over Kings

Match Overview

Peshawar Zalmi handed Karachi Kings the biggest defeat by runs in PSL history, crushing them by 159 runs in a one-sided PSL 2026 encounter in Karachi on Thursday, April 9.

Zalmi’s victory was set up by Kusal Mendis’ blazing 52-ball 109, laced with 14 fours and four sixes, alongside Babar Azam’s unbeaten 51-ball 87 featuring 10 fours and two sixes. The duo was involved in a record-shattering 191-run stand off just 97 balls – the highest-ever partnership in PSL history.

Zalmi were rocked as early as the second ball of their innings: Mohammad Haris miscued a Khushdil Shah delivery towards long-on, walking back for a duck. But Babar and Mendis ensured their opponents had nothing to celebrate for the next 16 overs, stamping authority with their delectable strokeplay in their record second-wicket alliance.

Mendis clarified his intentions early, dispatching left-arm pacer Mir Hamza for two consecutive sixes and picking three consecutive fours off Abbas in the powerplay. Mendis also got two reprieves in a space of two balls as the Abbas failed to grab his return catch, while Mohammad Hamza at short fine leg dropped another.

In between, Babar joined the party with a two fours and a six off Khushdil in the powerplay, which Zalmi ended at 66 for 1. At that point, the Haris blow was seemingly an event of the distant past. Mendis raced off to his half-century in just 26 balls, while Babar was relatively slower, reaching the mark in 32 deliveries, albeit with a hat-trick of fours against Moeen Ali.

Babar and Mendis were also severe on Adam Zampa, smashing two fours and a six off him in an 18-run 13th over before picking 16 in the 16th, also bowled by him. The partnership was finally broken when Mendis was undone by Abbas’ change of pace, miscuing a lofted drive to a diving Haroon Arshad at covers.

Coming in next, Michael Bracewell dispatched Abbas for a six over long on, but the bowler had him caught behind on the last ball to make it a double-wicket over. Although there was no respite as Abdul Samad’s 12-ball 40 blitz – including a sequence of 6, 6, 6 in the penultimate over and 4, 4, dot 4, 6 in the final one – took the team to a daunting 246 for 3, their highest total in the league.

In response, Kings bottled under scoreboard pressure, losing opener Muhammad Waseem and David Warner for ducks in the first seven balls of their response, with Iftikhar Ahmed and Shoriful Islam making early inroads. Salman Agha then perished to Iftikhar in the third over, leaving his team at 8 for 3.

A brief recovery followed as Saad Baig and Azam Khan added 27 off 26 for the fourth wicket, but Nahid Rana grabbed Baig’s return catch, while Sufiyan Muqeem struck twice in two overs to remove Moeen and Azam.

Rana then delivered a double-wicket over and saw the back of Khushdil and Zampa in a space of four balls, and Muqeem had Kings nine down when he sent back Abbas, claiming his third. Iftikhar levelled with Muqeem and Rana's wicket tally, as he had Hamza stumped to claim his third wicket as Kings were undone for a paltry 87.

Top run-scorer of the match

Top wicket-taker of the match

Player of the match

Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis was at his marauding best against Kings. He smashed 14 fours and four sixes in his breathtaking knock of 109 off just 52, the fastest century by a Zalmi batter in PSL history. Mendis' 191-run second-wicket stand with Babar is also the highest-ever partnership for any wicket in PSL.

What the captains said

Winning Team Captain, Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi)

"Our plan was to make the most of the first six overs because that momentum carries through the innings. The partnership between me and Mendis was crucial, and we wanted to carry that momentum forward without letting it break. There was a lot of planning. The main idea was not to let the momentum drop. While batting, we were constantly managing the innings and targeting specific bowlers, deciding who to attack and where. The pitch was very good, so we backed our shots. Our goal was to take the partnership as deep as possible and I think that made the difference in the innings. I think it was a complete team effort. When you get confidence from the batting, it reflects in the bowling as well. Even in the previous match, our bowling was good, we restricted runs. Today, the spinners dominated early, and then the fast bowlers took over. Everyone played their role and executed the plans well. It was a total team performance.

Losing Team Captain, David Warner (Karachi Kings)

"I think our decision to bowl first was what we wanted to do and intended to do. But when you allow two stroke-makers time to settle in and hit boundaries consistently every over, it becomes really difficult to pull things back. I thought at the 10-over mark we were still in the game, but in the next three overs they scored around 50-60 runs, which is unacceptable at this level. In the first six overs, you’ve got to try and stay positive. A couple of good balls led to wickets, and there was also some good fielding in the outfield. But credit to them, they came out and put serious runs on the board. It was always going to be a tough chase. In tournaments like these, sometimes you need a loss like this to bring the energy back into the group. When you’ve had six or seven days off, it can take a bit of time to get back into rhythm. But the boys are in good spirits, we’ve got a great group, and we will take the positives. We will enjoy tomorrow off and come back stronger.