Tom Kohler-Cadmore stars as Babar Azam's Peshawar Zalmi pip Karachi Kings

Kohler-Cadmore crashed 92 runs off 50 balls to help Zalmi close on 199 for 5, a total they appeared to be defending with ease before Shoaib Malik and Imad Wasim set up a nervy finish

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Karachi: Peshawar Zalmi 199-5, Karachi Kings 197-5 – Peshawar Zalmi won by two runs

Scorecard

Babar Azam made a triumphant return to Karachi, captaining new side Peshawar Zalmi to a tight two-run win over Karachi Kings.

Azam, who joined Zalmi ahead of PSL8 after chalking up 66 appearances for the Kings, scored a rapid half-century against his former club but it was Englishman Tom Kohler-Cadmore who stole the show, scoring 92 runs off 50 balls to help his side close on 199 for 5, a total they appeared to be defending with ease before Shoaib Malik and Imad Wasim combined to set up a nervy finish.

Batting first, Peshawar Zalmi did not make an ideal start, losing Mohammad Haris and Saim Ayub in the second over to slip to 16 for 2.

Azam and Kohler-Cadmore, however, soon flipped the game back in their side's favour, sharing a 139-run stand for the third wicket off just 81 balls.

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Babar Azam scored a half-century against his old side [Asif Hassan/Getty Images]

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Imad Wasim scored 80 not out in vain for the Kings [Asif Hassan/Getty Images]

The skipper was eventually removed by Imran Tahir for 68 (46) in the 16th over and was soon joined in the shed by Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

Kohler-Cadmore then added a further 26 runs off 15 deliveries alongside Jimmy Neesham before departing with two balls remaining in the innings, caught by Tahir off the bowling of Ben Cutting.

Mir Hamza, who made the initial breakthrough in the powerplay, was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1 for 13 from two overs.

In reply, Karachi Kings had their own early struggles with the bat, losing three wickets in the powerplay and later finding themselves 46 for 4 inside seven overs.

Sharjeel Khan was caught behind by Haris (bowled Wahab Riaz) with the second delivery of the innings before Neesham accounted for Matthew Wade, halting a promising knock of 23 off 15 before the Australian could kick on, and Qasim Akram. Ayub and Salman Irshad then combined to remove former Zalmi batter Haider Ali.

Malik and captain Wasim soon had the Kings firing, however, and the pair put on 131 runs off 74 balls for the fifth wicket to transform what had looked like a certain defeat into a possible victory.

Veteran bowler Riaz made the crucial breakthrough, dismissing Malik caught behind for 52 (34) in the penultimate over with the Kings 23 runs shy of victory with 10 balls remaining. He and Haris thought they had combined for a third time to remove Cutting off the final ball of the over but the umpire called a front-foot no ball. Riaz recovered with a dot-ball yorker: 16 required from six.

And fortunately for Zalmi, Khurram Shahzad kept his cool at the death, conceding seven runs off the first five deliveries to ensure Wasim's final ball six was nothing more than a consolation. Zalmi clung on for a two-run win and Wasim was left stranded on 80 (47).

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