- May 18, 2025
There is no pity in Rawalpindi when the bats are blazing and the bowlers are ducking for cover—and last night, the Karachi Kings took the venue and turned it into a fireworks factory. The Peshawar Zalmi assembled their intent, led by a masterclass from Babar Azam, and looked in good shape to mount a proper chase. But chasing 238 under lights? That’s an Everest of a task in any league. Zalmi huffed and puffed, but could not blow the Kings’ fortress down, ultimately falling short by 23 runs despite a spectacular fight. So, what went wrong for the Yellow Storm? Let’s break it down by the slip.
Bowling Unit in Tatters – Except for One Lone Wolf
Zalmi’s bowling resembled a broken hose pipe that is leaking runs from every imaginable angle. Outside of Luke Wood, who bowled like a burglar in a house full of flat-track bullies (4-0-19-2), the rest of the bowling unit served as an all-you-can-eat buffet. Ahmed Daniyal and Ali Raza were blitzed for 66 and 60 runs respectively, while normally reliable Saim Ayub looked like a part-timer filling in for a net session. The Kings not only dominated but feasted on the bowlers. Vince and Warner didn’t build a partnership — they built a trauma for bowlers. Zalmi’s bowlers were batting practice without any effort for breakthroughs. In T20s, if you are not hitting, you get hit and you are done before you begin.
Warner’s Thunderstorm Left Zalmi in Ruins
David Warner’s blistering innings of 86 from 50 balls was not just a knock; he was an act in itself. He came to the party, he saw the flower, he slapped every short ball into the stands. His captaincy swagger found its way into blade talk, and James Vince (72 from 42) hopped in the passenger seat in the massacre like a well-timed drop in a rap battle. The two put on 162 runs, a meteoric and electric destruction of Zalmi’s plans, strike by strike. Even after Warner fell in the 167th over, the excitement continued. They did not just have a great start, they had sustained trauma on the bowlers from Peshawar.
Overreliance on Babar Azam Exposed, Again
If there’s been one continuous theme in Zalmi’s script this season, it’s been “Babar or bust.” The captain dazzled at the crease—94 off 49 with beautiful flicks and merciless drives—but he was left fighting alone. Saim Ayub did strike some promise with a see-ball hit ball 47, but fell too early. Haris, Bryant, and Kohler-Cadmore were there and gone like the commercials in between two blockbuster scenes. By the time Babar was run out on an enthusiastic second run, the chase was already caving in; the middle order never looked capable of conjuring a match-winning cameo. One-man shows do not win trophies and should not win people’s sympathy, but games like this.
Zalmi lost because they were not only chasing a monster total but could never keep it together. The bowling was off, the fielding was lifeless, and the middle order had no punch. Karachi, on the other hand, looked like a proper outfit with a plan, sharper purpose, and volume with which to cause some damage. With the leadership of Warner, the timeliness of Vince, and enough thump at the back end, the Kings are not just contenders – they are trouble.
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