- Karachi Kings kept their Playoffs dream alive with a five-wicket thumping of defending champions
- Tournament scorecards and stats are available here; Action images are available here for free download and editorial use
- The official nomenclature of the league is HBL PSL; Media houses are advised to use the correct nomenclature in all texts, headlines and bulletins
Karachi, 23 April 2026: Karachi Kings stormed to their first victory in six matches in a stunning manner as they chased a 200-run target against Lahore Qalandars with eight balls left and five wickets in the bag in the 35th match of the HBL Pakistan Super League here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Thursday.
Khushdil smashed 44 not out at a strike rate of 314 to finish the game after walking in to bat at number seven with 54 required off 27 balls.
The bumper double-header day comprised of Twin Cities Derby and the HBL PSL Clasico on 23 April. With the win, Karachi Kings have at large extended their overall dominance over Lahore Qalandars by 16 to 7 and most importantly saved themselves and Quetta Gladiators from being ousted from the Playoffs race.
Qalandars are now placed at the fifth place with nine points to their name and a must-win match left to play against Peshawar Zalmi. Kings, who are sixth on the table, will face Quetta Gladiators in a do or die game. On Friday night, fourth-placed Hyderabad Kingsmen and third-placed Islamabad United will face each other in an important clash.
Khushdil and Warner shared a fiery unbeaten 57 off 19 balls to take the Qalandars by a surprise. The duo first hit a four each against Haris Rauf in the 17th over to bring down the equation to 34 needed off three overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi was tonked for three sixes and a four by Khushdil in the subsequent over to almost nail the game.
With 11 needed off 12 balls, Khushdil saw off a yorker on the first ball for no run, then took a two before going ballistic on the third and fourth balls as he hit Haris for consecutive sixes to finish the game. Kings have won all their four matches in Lahore with two coming against Qalandars, while they lost five on the trot in Karachi.
Earlier, David Warner kept the innings intact with an unbeaten 63 off 44 balls hitting nine fours and one six. It was his fifth HBL PSL half-century and 117th overall. Kings lost Jason Roy for nine in the second over, Reeza Hendricks for 10 in the fifth with 39 runs on the board with both wickets falling to Ubaid Shah. Salman Ali Agha fell for 14 off 15 against Haris as Kings were reduced to 69-3 in 8.3 overs.
At this juncture, Moeen Ali played a brisk and much-needed knock of 39 from 17 balls hitting one four and four sixes in a 58-run stand with Warner.
Moeen hit Sikandar Raza for two sixes in the 12th over when the required un rate had crept above 12. His stay at the crease was cut short by Ubaid in the 14th over after which Azam Khan chipped in with an eight-ball 14. Daniel Sams castled Azam as Khushdil walked out to bat.
After being asked to bat first, the Qalandars were propelled to a 199-6 total in 20 overs on the back of half-centuries from Fakhar Zaman (61, 41b, 5x4s, 3x6s) and Abdullah Shafique (62, 36b, 5x4s, 3x6s) and a nine-ball 20 from Daniel Sams.
Qalandars lost Mohammad Farooq for a 15-ball 18 in the fourth over before Fakhar and Abdullah took the centre stage and put on a 110-run stand off 62 balls. Lahore took 57 runs off the powerplay and brought up the team hundred in 9.5 overs.
Moeen put an end to the stand by removing Fakhar in the 14th over from where Qalandars lost five for 65 in 38 balls. Rizwanullah removed Abdullah after Moeen had skittled Charith Asalanka for a three-ball duck. Sikandar Raza remained unbeaten for a 12-ball 18 hitting a solitary six in his outing.
Sams smashed two sixes in his 20-run knock, while skipper Shaheen also hit a six and a four in his 10 off four balls before becoming Hasan’s 138th scalp in the HBL PSL – who is now two wickets ahead of the Qalandars’ skipper on the all-time chart.
Scores in brief:
Match 35 – Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore
Lahore Qalandars 199-6, 20 overs (Abdullah Shafique 62, Fakhar Zaman 61, Daniel Sams 20, Sikandar Raza 20 not out; Moeen Ali 2-26)
Karachi Kings 203-5, 18.4 overs (David Warner 63 not out, Khushdil Shah 44 not out, Moeen Ali 39; Ubaid Shah 3-41)
Player of the Match – Khushdil Shah (Karachi Kings)
Friday’s fixture: Hyderabad Kingsmen v Islamabad United at National Bank Stadium, Karachi; 7pm PKT