Karachi Kings pulled off a nervy four wicket win over Lahore Qalandars on a tricky Gaddafi Stadium pitch in PSL 2026. Shaheen Afridi claimed 4/18 to restrict Kings during the chase, but Muhammad Waseem’s gritty 38 off 37 balls kept Karachi in the hunt. Abbas Afridi sealed the deal with a six off the final over as the Kings chased down 129 in 19.3 overs. Earlier, Adam Zampa’s brilliant 4-1-11-2 helped bowl Lahore out for just 128/9 on a slow, turning surface.
How Did Lahore Qalandars Bat?
Lahore lost Fakhar Zaman in the very first over, stumped off Moeen Ali for just 1. Mohammad Naeem smashed a six off Mir Hamza but fell for 13 to a stunning caught and bowled dismissal. Abdullah Shafique counterattacked with three fours and a six, racing to 33 off 24 balls.
However, Adam Zampa dismissed him with a skidder that kept low. Parvez Hossain Emon contributed 12 before Salman Agha trapped him lbw. Meanwhile, Haseebullah Khan fought hard with 28 off 30 balls, smashing a six off a free hit from Abbas Afridi. Sikandar Raza hit a massive 100 metre six off Moeen Ali but could never truly accelerate on the difficult surface.
Furthermore, Shaheen Afridi smashed a six over the sightscreen before falling lbw to Moeen for 7. Zampa finished with a wicket maiden in his final over as Lahore managed only 128/9 on a pitch that offered uneven bounce and sharp turn.
How Did Karachi Kings Chase?
The chase started poorly as Shaheen Afridi removed David Warner for 8 and Salman Agha for a duck in the same over. Saad Baig survived a torrid maiden from Ubaid Shah but found his rhythm with two fours off Haris Rauf. Mustafizur Rahman then dismissed Baig for 19 with a sharp catch from keeper Haseebullah.
Muhammad Waseem and Moeen Ali rebuilt patiently. Waseem smashed 18 runs off Haris Rauf in the 13th over including his first six. However, Shaheen returned to break the partnership, dismissing Waseem for 38 and then Moeen Ali for 18 to finish with 4/18. Kings slumped to 88/5 needing 41 off the last five overs.
Azam Khan and Khushdil Shah scraped together crucial singles. Mustafizur Rahman bowled brilliantly at the death, conceding just 20 off his four overs. With 14 needed off the final over and a five run penalty awarded to Kings for ball tampering, Abbas Afridi smashed a four and then a match winning six off Haris Rauf to seal a dramatic victory.
Key Performers
- Shaheen Afridi claimed 4/18 in 4 overs, the best bowling figures of the match, dismissing Warner, Agha, Waseem and Moeen
- Adam Zampa delivered a masterclass on the slow surface with 4-1-11-2 including a wicket maiden in his final over
- Muhammad Waseem played a gritty 38 off 37 balls (3×4, 1×6) to anchor the chase through the middle overs
- Abdullah Shafique top scored for Lahore with 33 off 24 balls (4×4, 1×6)
- Abbas Afridi sealed the win with a four and a six off the final over, finishing unbeaten
Brief Scorecard
| Team | Score | Overs |
|---|---|---|
| Lahore Qalandars | 128/9 | 20 |
| Karachi Kings | 131/6 | 19.3 |
| Award | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Match | Adam Zampa | 4 overs, 11 runs, 2 wickets |
