Team Karachi Kings (KK) completed a disciplined chase on 29th March to reach a target of 129 runs, as they defeated the defending champions, Lahore Qalandars (LQ), by four wickets in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, Pakistan.
In this low-scoring battle, Karachi Kings’ Adam Zampa became the Player of the Match. He delivered an exceptional spell. Zampa took 2 wickets and conceded just 11 runs in his four overs to put pressure on Lahore Qalandars’ batting lineup.
Later, during the chase, Karachi Kings’ Muhammad Waseem (38/37) and Saad Baig (19/21) provided stability. But ultimately, it was the lower order’s composure in the final over that sealed the game. These efforts allowed team Karachi Kings to track down a target of 129 runs, finishing the match at 131/6 with three balls remaining.
Lahore Qalandars had earlier struggled to find momentum and posted a total of 128 runs with the loss of 9 wickets in this fixture.
Despite a brilliant bowling effort from Shaheen Afridi, the Lahore Qalandars’ team could not defend their low total against a steady team of Karachi Kings.
Detailed Match Summary (Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings)
Lahore Qalandars won the toss and elected to bat first.
| Lahore Qalandars | Karachi Kings |
|---|---|
| Mohammad Naeem | David Warner (c) |
| Fakhar Zaman | Muhammad Waseem |
| Abdullah Shafique | Salman Agha |
| Parvez Hossain Emon | Saad Baig |
| Haseebullah Khan | Moeen Ali |
| Sikandar Raza | Azam Khan |
| Shaheen Shah Afridi (c) | Khushdil Shah |
| Usama Mir | Abbas Afridi |
| Haris Rauf | Hasan Ali |
| Ubaid Shah | Adam Zampa |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Mir Hamza |
First Innings Summary
The first innings were dominated by the Karachi Kings’ bowlers, who kept the Lahore Qalandars under constant pressure:
Powerplay Overs (1 to 6)
Karachi King’s bowler, Moeen Ali (18/21), dismissed Fakhar Zaman (1/2) in the 0.4th over, and Mir Hamza also struck early in the 3.5th overs to dismiss Mohammad Naeem (13/12) and set a dominating tone for the innings from the start. By the end of the power play, Lahore Qalandars were 42/2 and struggled to break free.
Middle Overs (7 to 15)
The middle phase saw a mix of resistance and regular wickets. Abdullah Shafique (33/24) top-scored for Lahore Qalandars, but he eventually got dismissed by Adam Zampa in the 7.6th overs.
Salman Ali Agha (0/2) dismissed Parvez Hossain Emon (12/12) in the 8.2nd overs, and Abbas Afridi dismissed Sikandar Raza (19/21) in the 14.3rd overs.
Lahore Qalandars reached 105/5 by the end of the 15th over.
Death Overs (16 to 20)
The final overs saw Lahore Qalandars lose wickets while they tried to accelerate scoring.
Adam Zampa dismissed Usama Mir (1/3) in the 17.1st overs, while Hasan Ali dismissed Haseebullah Khan (28/30) in the 18.6th overs.
In the end, Mir Hamza claimed the wicket of Haris Rauf (4/10) in the 19.2nd overs, leaving Lahore with a modest target score of 128/9 after 20 overs.
Bowling Performance
Adam Zampa was the standout bowler for Karachi Kings, who conceded only 11 runs in 4 overs with 2 wickets to his name. While Mir Hamza dismissed 2 batsmen and conceded just 14 runs in his 3 overs, Moeen Ali supported the attack and took 2 wickets, and conceded 31 runs in his 4 overs. This strategized bowling from the team Karachi Kings ensured that Lahore Qalandars never found their rhythm while playing on the beat in this season of PSL 2026.
Second Innings Summary
Karachi Kings produced a measured batting performance to chase down 129 runs and finished at 131/6.
Powerplay Overs (1 to 6)
Karachi Kings faced an immediate threat from Lahore Qalandars’ captain, Shaheen Afridi (7/4), who dismissed Karachi Kings’ captain David Warner (8/9) in the 2.2nd overs and Salman Agha (0/2) in quick succession of 2.4th overs.
Despite the early blows, Muhammad Waseem (38/37) played cautiously to navigate the new ball and stabilize the innings. Karachi Kings ended the power play at 27/2.
Middle Overs (7 to 15)
The middle overs were a tense affair as Lahore Qalandars’ bowlers tightened the scoring.
Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Saad Baig (19/21) in the 7.3rd overs. Afterwards, Shaheen Afridi returned to remove both Muhammad Waseem in 14.1ˢᵗ overs and Moeen Ali in 14.6ᵗʰ overs. By the 15th over, team Karachi Kings were 88/5, leaving the match wide open.
Death Overs (16 to 20)
The game went down to a thrilling finish. Haris Rauf dismissed Khushdil Shah (13/14) in the 19.1st over, and Karachi entered the final over needing 14 runs. Regardless of immense pressure, the batters stayed calm and scored 16 runs. And Abbas Afridi (10/2) smashed a huge sixer that took Karachi Kings’ score to 131/6.
Conclusion
The sixth match of PSL 2026 highlighted a classic bowling masterclass of both teams at the Gaddafi Stadium.
For Karachi Kings, this victory is a statement of their intent to challenge the top teams this season.
For Lahore Qalandars, it was a rare failure of their batting unit, though their bowling depth kept them in the contest until the very last over.
The Last Over Drama
In the last over, Lahore Qalandars found themselves at the centre of a ball-tampering controversy after being penalized five runs for altering the ball’s condition just before the final over against Karachi Kings.
The match was eventually won by Karachi Kings with three deliveries remaining. It reached its most dramatic moment at the end of the 19th over in the second innings. With 14 runs required, Haris Rauf was set to bowl the decisive final over for the Lahore Qalandars.
Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Fakhar Zaman gathered briefly near the bowler’s run-up, and all three were seen handling the ball during that moment.
Following this controversy, the ball was replaced immediately. However, Captain Shaheen Afridi reacted strongly to the ruling but chose not to address it during his post-match presentation.
And because of it, the target got reduced to just nine runs for Karachi Kings.
Take a look at the latest PSL points table after Match 6 to see where the teams stand so far in the tournament.
Here, you can watch the full highlights of Lahore Qalandars vs Karachi Kings, 6th Match of PSL ’26.
