Player of the Match
Player of the Match

END OF OVER:
16 | 13 Runs | KK: 157/2 (15 runs required, RR: 9.81)

  • Colin Ingram5 (3b)
  • Joe Denly79 (46b)
  • Wahab Riaz3-0-36-0
  • Hasan Ali4-0-41-1

Over to the final on March 25 then. Hope you enjoyed our coverage. Hope to see you for the grand finale. Until then, this is Shashank Kishore and Akshay Gopalakrishnan saying goodbye.

11.30pm No home final for Karachi. Instead, Peshawar Zalmi will have an opportunity to defend their crown on Sunday at the National Stadium. The difference between both sides tonight: Kamran Akmal. Much-maligned in these parts of the world, but the impact he's had on Zalmi can't be understated.

Peshawar Zalmi had to win four games on a trot at one stage to get to the final and they did. Daren Sammy has literally hobbled on one leg for a better part of the last four days to lead them into the final. Can they cap off with the ultimate crowning glory on Sunday?

Time for the presentation:

Kamran Akmal , who smashed a 27-ball 77, PSL's fastest half-century, proved to be the X factor on the night. No surprises than that he's Player of the Match too. He started the tournament poorly, made three ducks along the way but boy, didn't he rev up when it mattered most? He receives the Hanif Mohammed cap from Younis Khan for being the highest run-getter in the tournament at the moment.

Peshawar Zalmi captain Daren Sammy: Akmal's partnership with Fletchee was exceptional. The guys have shown good character. The strength of this team is all of us stick together. Coming here, the support we had from the fans was amazing. Two exciting games, we couldn't have asked for more.

Karachi Kings' stand-in captain Mohammad Amir: Today was Kamran Akmal's day. Whatever he hit connected today. It would've been fun to play the final in Karachi. For now, we'll have to learn from our mistakes.

Kapil: "Hindsight is beautiful but Azam's innings actually lost Karachi the game. He starts off ridiculously slowly and keeping Ingram in hut and sending Azam was the poorest decision by Arthur. Remember they were chasing 171 in 16, not 20 overs. And in PP, overs 2-4, they scored only 12 runs"

faisal : "Champion Vs Champion, Ronchi Vs Kamran, Sami Vs Wahab, Sammy Vs Misbah The Most Suited Final For PSL2018 "

Hamza: "What a final there is going to be it will also be the contest between Kamran vs Ronchi for top scorer and Faheem vs Wahab for leading wickets."

Visakh: "Completely agree with Kapil. Babar faced nearly half of the 96 balls and got 63 runs.. other batsmen needed to get 107 runs off the other half balls left."

Hasan Ali on Zalmi's qualification: I returned to play after a month, it seems like I've found my rhythm back. Today, the way Kamran Akmal played, no praise is enough for him. He's been batting well all tournament. Third PSL in a row that he's contributed.

Soham Sarkhel says: "Having wickets in hand very much overrated in T20s. Karachi Kings failed to match up to the pace. A batsman has to keep taking the occasional risks, resources not fully utilised otherwise."

15.6
4
Wahab Riaz to Ingram, FOUR, backs away and slaps this short delivery to the wide long-off fence, but it doesn't matter. Sammy roars, Zalmi fans roar. Karachi had two shots at the final and they've failed in both. PSL 2016 champs v PSL 2017 champs to contest the grand finale in 2018
15.5
1
Wahab Riaz to Denly, 1 run, pulls this short ball on middle to deep square. Game over. Karachi's hopes extinguished.
15.4
4
Wahab Riaz to Denly, FOUR, slapped over cover, good strike, clean strike. But this won't do.
15.3
0
Wahab Riaz to Denly, no run, swing and a miss. Have they nipped this in the bud? Slower bouncer on middle, played too early in trying to pull

Sikendar: "Please someone bring Carlos Brathwaite."

Need a six off each and every delivery now.

15.2
2
Wahab Riaz to Denly, 2 runs, he's sliced this over the infield, bounces away towards the point boundary. Deep cover comes around to cut that off. Wanted to hit over long-off but didn't get power on that slower onr
15.1
1
Wahab Riaz to Ingram, 1 run, drags this from outside off towards long-on, lovely slower delivery
15.1
1nb
Wahab Riaz to Ingram, 1 no ball, high full toss that hits him on the stomach. Missed this swing. No-ball, so a free-hit Some drama. Can he cash in?

Can Ingram bat like Dinesh Karthik did the other night?

END OF OVER:
15 | 16 Runs 1 Wkt | KK: 144/2 (28 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.60, RRR: 28.00)

  • Joe Denly72 (42b)
  • Colin Ingram0 (0b)
  • Hasan Ali4-0-41-1
  • Chris Jordan3-0-27-0
14.6
4
Hasan Ali to Denly, FOUR, helped to the fine leg fence. Slower and fuller down leg, looked to swing over square leg but this flew off a thick inside edge past short fine

Zeeshan Ahmed: "Please plz plz bring Sreshth on the commentary to make this match a nail bitter" -- Ah, poor guy. He needs a breather. I'm trying my best.

14.5
4
Hasan Ali to Denly, FOUR, beats mid-off. Too full, he backed away and hammered it away off the middle of the bat.
14.4
6
Hasan Ali to Denly, SIX, clean strike down the ground to beat long-on, who was running around the ropes to get there. This was slower and fuller, he backed away and belted this superbly.
14.3
W
Hasan Ali to Babar Azam, OUT, hoicked straight to deep midwicket. Surely Karachi fans won't be disappointed with that? Hasan Ali will take that into his kitty. Looked to clear his front leg and swing over the ropes, no timing.

Babar Azam c Dawson b Hasan Ali 63 (45b 6x4 2x6) SR: 140.00

Tinu: "These 2 missed out on the "accelerate" part. It will seem strange losing with 9 wickets in hand."

14.2
1
Hasan Ali to Denly, 1 run, sits up nicely on middle, he pulls but can't get much power behind that. Down to deep midwicket
14.1
1
Hasan Ali to Babar Azam, 1 run, backs away to go over cover, but ends up getting a thick inside edge onto his pad off the knuckle ball

END OF OVER:
14 | 7 Runs | KK: 128/1 (44 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 9.14, RRR: 22.00)

  • Babar Azam62 (43b)
  • Joe Denly57 (38b)
  • Chris Jordan3-0-27-0
  • Hasan Ali3-0-25-0
13.6
1
Jordan to Babar Azam, 1 run, no control of this big hit, sliced towards deep cover.

Ahmad: "All they need right now is power hitting, 9 wickets in hand, these singles are of no use." -- The 'get out' stage is long gone. Poor Ingram

13.5
0
Jordan to Babar Azam, no run, superb yorker, jams his bat down in time to keep that out.
13.4
4
Jordan to Babar Azam, FOUR, hammered, deep cover wasn't more than 10 metres away but he couldn't get there. Jordan went for a yorker but missed his mark by very little. Is there life in the game yet?
13.3
1
Jordan to Denly, 1 run, goes over the infield, on the bounce to sweeper cover
13.2
0
Jordan to Denly, no run, full, straight and outside off. Denly is beaten as he looks to slap this over cover.
13.1
1
Jordan to Babar Azam, 1 run, full toss outside off, carved away to deep point

Here's Chris Jordan

Ezad: "Is there a Mike Hussy in the house?' -- Not sure, but Ajmal surelt isn't.

END OF OVER:
13 | 11 Runs | KK: 121/1 (51 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.30, RRR: 17.00)

  • Joe Denly56 (36b)
  • Babar Azam56 (39b)
  • Hasan Ali3-0-25-0
  • Umaid Asif3-0-27-0

Time for a strategy break

12.6
4
Hasan Ali to Denly, FOUR, backs away and drills this full delivery to the extra cover fence. Went for the yorker, missed his length by an inch.
12.5
1
Hasan Ali to Babar Azam, 1 run, no control over this attempted slap back past the bowler, Hasan Ali gets his finger tips as he puts his left hand out. Took pace off
12.4
1
Hasan Ali to Denly, 1 run, one-handed flat-batted pull towards deep midwicket.
12.3
1
Hasan Ali to Babar Azam, 1 run, slower length ball on middle, dragged towards deep square
12.2
4
Hasan Ali to Babar Azam, FOUR, full toss again, this time he belts this to beat extra cover's dive. Class written all over that

Kings 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st13JL DenlyMukhtar Ahmed
2nd117JL DenlyBabar Azam
3rd27JL DenlyCA Ingram

Pakistan Super League

TeamMWLPTNRR
IU1073140.296
KK1054110.028
PZ1055100.464
QG1055100.312
MS10459-0.191
LQ10376-0.931