(Cricket News) Power batter Kieron Pollard overshadowed Babar Azam’s historic innings in Lahore as the Karachi Kings defeated the Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets on Wednesday.After chasing 155, Pollard hit four massive sixes and four boundaries in an undefeated 49 off 21 balls, guiding Kings to victory in 16.5 overs, their first of the tournament.

Zalmi was bowled out for 154 in 19.5 overs by Babar, who became the fastest hitter to score 10,000 runs in his historic 271st T20 after the Kings won the toss and chose to field. Babar scored 72 runs off 51 balls in the second game against the Quetta Gladiators, but his efforts were in vain after reaching his half-century in the first.

After Zalmi lost three wickets during the batting powerplay, Shoaib Malik dismissed Saim Ayub with a full-pitched delivery that did not turn much, and Zalmi’s innings was centered around Babar’s genius. Playing against his old team, Hasan Ali also got off to a fantastic start when he successfully deflected a ball off the stump of Tom Kohler-Cadmore with his first ball.

After Babar and Rovman Powell (39) had a 68-run partnership to revive the innings, Asif Ali made 23 and Peshawar lost its final six wickets for only 18 runs in the final four overs. Asif holed out at long on, Powell top-edged a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz.

The Zalmi innings rapidly came to an end when left-arm fast bowler Mir Hamza (3-28), who bowled to firm lengths with the new ball, chipped in with the wickets of Aamer Jamal and then took a brilliant return catch to eliminate Babar in his final over.

One of the two changes Zalmi made after losing the opening match by 16 runs, Pollard brought an early finish when he blasted three consecutive sixes and two fours in a 27-run over against Afghanistan’s left-arm wristspinner Waqar Salamkheil. In his four overs, Salamkheil let up 54 runs and had Malik stumped for 29 runs at run-a-ball.

After James Vince drove Luke Wood (2-20) for the winning boundary, Pollard was denied the opportunity to reach a well-earned half-century. James Vince was still undefeated at 38. Zalmi is still searching for their first victory, while Kings, who lost their opening match against Multan Sultans by 55 runs, have two points from two games.

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