Kamran Akmal's incredible 77 takes Peshawar Zalmi to PSL 2018 final

LAHORE - Kamran Akmal's record-breaking 77 off 27 deliveries propelled Peshawar Zalmi into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final as they ousted Karachi Kings by 13 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Zalmi set a towering 171-run target for Karachi Kings, whose bowlers crumbled under pressure as Akmal scored his half-century in just 17 balls.

The Zalmi's striker broke the record of the fastest fifty in the history of Pakistan Super League (PSL), surpassing Islamabad United's Luke Ronchi to achieve his feat.

The match started at 8:15pm. The fixture was reduced to 16 overs per side rain in Lahore.

Sammy-led Zalmi squad will face Islamabad United in Karachi on March 25.
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Second Innings

.@KamiAkmal23 is our Man of the Match as well as the new owner of #FazalMahmudCap#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/8VCJzt2Bdw

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

That's a clinical win for @PeshawarZalmi as the #YellowStorm marches on to the #HBLPSL final in Karachi.#KKvPZ #DilSeJaanLagaDe pic.twitter.com/x385R0mgCl

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

Peshawar Zalmi won by 13 runs!
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/Dh11wq7OyN#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/Bl5DKgLfSS

— PeshawarZalmi (@PeshawarZalmi) March 21, 2018

SIX! 10.1 Wahab Riaz to Babar Azam
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/KR4vMc5lEa

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

OUT! 1.2 Sameen Gul to Mukhtar Ahmed
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/kcwUUBIpVR

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

First Innings

150 comes up for Peshawar Zalmi!
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/3rhpJC8qpK

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

OUT! 11.6 Ravi Bopara to Mohammad Hafeez
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/Ql1wMdcpfq

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

SIX! 10.4 Usama Mir to Mohammad Hafeez
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/B9ceEk4HOs

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

A magnificent innings comes to an end. @KamiAkmal23 walks back to dugout after a potentially match winning 77 off 27 balls (8x6s, 5x4s).
PZ 120 for 2 in 10 overs#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvPZ https://t.co/GRCw7NB9gq

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

50 comes up for Kamran Akmal, Fastest PSL fifty, off 17 balls!
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/IHyB8n8IPz

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

SIX! 5.6 Ravi Bopara to Andre Fletcher
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/zrnZisNOMy

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

SIX! 4.1 Usman Khan to Kamran Akmal
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/8wmUA9xWpn

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

The high-voltage match start was delayed for more than an hour due to a wet outfield.

SIX! 3.2 Tymal Mills to Andre Fletcher
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/fpjtzFvXG0

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

SIX! 1.6 Usman Khan to Kamran Akmal
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/FqxiqHS5o8#KKvPZ #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/kVPbHWRT6J

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

Zalmi opener @KamiAkmal23 off the mark. First four of the innings!#HBLPLS #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvPZ

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

Revised playing conditions for the Eliminator 2.#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/jhaYgMJGnC

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

Mohammad Amir will be leading the Kings as Imad Wasim and Shahid Afridi are both out due to injuries while Eoin Morgan has not travelled to Pakistan. Mukhtar Ahmed, Zulfiqar Babar and Danish Aziz come into their squads as covers for those injured.

Playing XI:
Karachi Kings: Mohammad Amir (captain), J Denly, Mukhtar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, R Bopara, Mohammad Rizwan, Usama Mir, Usman Shinwari, T Mills, Danish Aziz

Peshawar Zalmi: Darren Sammy (captain), Kamran Akmal (wk), A Fletcher, Mohammad Hafeez, Saad Nasim, L Dawson, C Jordan, Umaid Asif, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Sameen Gul

Karachi Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #KKvPZ pic.twitter.com/Dq3aXecrCA

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

Umpires will re inspect the ground at 7:30 pm ?#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 21, 2018

The winner of the match will directly go to the final and play against Islamabad United on March 25. The loser will be knocked out of the tournament.

The match is scheduled to play at 7:00pm tonight. PTV Sports and Ten Sports will broadcast Live match in Pakistan and UAE.

You can also download Goonj application for live streaming. Cricket fans can also view the match online on the PSL-T20 Official website. For the live score, updates, and analysis, you can follow dailypakistan.com.pk.

On Tuesday, Peshawar Zalmi knocked Quetta Gladiators out of the PSL third edition with a one-run victory in the first eliminator in Lahore.

All the tickets for the match have been sold out. Strict security measures have been taken to ensure no untoward incident takes place during the match. Contingents of law enforcement agencies and security teams have been deployed inside and outside the stadium.

Match Prediction

Karachi 40%

Peshawar 60%

Weather Report

Mostly cloudy. Light rain expected.