KARACHI: Home team Karachi Kings registered a series of unnecessary feats as they lost by 159 runs to Peshawar Zalmi in the 17th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Kings skipper David Warner’s decision to bat first backfired as the 2017 champions amassed a mammoth score of 246/3 in their 20 overs, the highest score at the venue and the sixth-highest ever in marquee league history.
A top-order pair of Gusal Mendis and skipper Babar Azam led the way for the visitors, who put on 191 for the second wicket after a poor start by Zalmi, who lost opener Mohammad Harris (nil) on the second delivery of their innings.
The 191-run partnership between Babar and Mendis is now the highest for any wicket in PSL history, surpassing the previous best of 176, which was recorded by Babar and Sharjeel for the Kings against United in 2021.
Chasing a tough 247-run target, Kings could muster 87 runs before being bowled out in 16.1 overs, which is now their lowest score in marquee league history, surpassing their previous worst of 108/9, which came against Zalmi in the 2021 edition.
Also, this is the lowest PSL total ever recorded at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium, 13 less than the previous worst.
As a result, Kings succumbed to a massive defeat by 159 runs, the highest loss in terms of runs in the PSL, leaving Multan Sultans with an unwanted record.