PSL 2026: Mendis, Raza keep Peshawar unbeaten with 7-wicket win over Karachi

Peshawar Zalmi continued their unbeaten run in the Pakistan Super League 2026 (PSL 2026), beating Karachi Kings by seven wickets in Match 32 on Wednesday, April 22 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. After opting to bat first, Karachi posted a decent score of 182/9 in their allotted 20 overs, riding on a magnificent innings from Jason Roy.

In reply, Peshawar chased down the target in 18.5 overs with Kusal Mendis (80* off 43) leading the run chase with a splendid knock, while Farhan Yousaf (58* off 36) also scored a brilliant half-century. Earlier in the day, Jason Roy and David Warner (11 off 13) got Karachi off to a steady start to their innings with a 35-run stand off 27 balls.

While Warner lost his stumps to Ali Raza, Jason Roy continued his innings and brought up his half-century off 30 balls. He got involved in a crucial 63-run stand off 32 balls with Azam Khan (35 off 19) for the fourth wicket. Despite their partnership, Karachi failed to end the innings on a high, losing the last six wickets for 21 runs in 14 balls.

In reply, Peshawar were rocked inside the powerplay, with both openers, captain Babar Azam (25 off 19) and James Vince (16 off 10) dismissed cheaply. Aaron Hardie (5 off 6) also failed to make an impact, getting cleaned up by Khushdil Shah, that left Peshawar on 67/3 in 7.3 overs.

Just when Karachi were sniffing a victory, Farhan Yousaf joined Kusal Mendis in the middle, and the duo got involved in a match-winning unbeaten 119-run stand off 68 balls to help his team chase down the target with seven balls to spare.

Top run-scorer of the Match

Top wicket-taker of the Match

Player of the Match

Kusal Mendis was adjudged Player of the Match for his brilliant knock of 80* (43), studded with five fours and four sixes. He walked to the crease with Peshawar in trouble, but his belligerent knock put the pressure back on the opposition to eventually seal a win for his side.

Turning Point

Karachi were in a spot of bother, during the run chase, being on 67/3 in 7.3 overs. However, Kusal Mendis got involved in a crucial stand with Farhan Yousaf (58* off 26) of 119 runs off 68 balls to help his team chase down the target in 18.5 overs. 

What did the captains say:

Winning Captain, Babar Azam (Peshawar Zalmi):

When the team responds like this and everyone puts in their full effort, everything else falls into place. As for the rest, it’s about encouraging the future stars we have in this side and keeping them motivated. I think at this stage, he has adjusted remarkably well. He’s learning how to handle pressure and is always eager to improve. In every match - even after every over - he comes to me to discuss which ball to bowl and what the plan should be (On Ali Raza). That hunger for learning is constant. What I’m seeing is back-to-back improvement every time he steps out. It’s the same with Farhan. He spends a lot of time talking with the coaching staff. In the last few seasons, he wasn't quite finding the right pace for his innings, but I want him to play with that freedom again. You can see he’s trying to make things happen, and we are backing him to do that. His strengths are excellent. He has a very wide range of shots and knows how to rotate the strike and keep the game moving. Sometimes he doesn’t finish things off the way he’d like, but the intent to dominate is always there. He has real class, and I just want him to keep playing his natural game.

Losing Captain, David Warner (Karachi Kings):

Look, I think the feedback to the group was that it was a tough surface. It had that crumbly soil, so you had to be really disciplined with your lengths. Some balls were staying low, but the way their bowlers utilised the rising ball was outstanding. They showed us exactly what length was needed to be successful on this track. It’s not tough at all if you’re backing yourself. When things aren't going well for the team, it’s all about maintaining self-confidence. You see it with this lineup; they are a quality side that keeps backing their skills. When things go your way, you can post those 200+ scores comfortably. We’ve had a couple of losses back-to-back now, but we’re focused on keeping the morale high heading into tomorrow’s game. it’s one of those things where you always want to get the momentum back. When you haven’t had much game time or things aren't clicking, the bat can feel a little bit heavier. But we’ve put in the work—we’re athletes, we do this day in and day out. We’re going to show up tomorrow with a positive attitude and try to turn it around.