Kamran blitz takes Zalmi into final

Kamran Akmal's blazing 77 handed Peshawar Zalmi a 13-run victory against Karachi Kings in the second eliminator of the Pakistan Super League last night and set them up for a final showdown against Islamabad United.

The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed five fours and eight towering sixes as Zalmi posted a daunting total of 170 for seven in the 16-over affair in Lahore after having been sent in to bat.

Akmal was in such a marauding mood in this game that the other contributions -- a 30-ball 34 from Andre Fletcher and a 12-ball 23 from skipper Darren Sammy -- seemed coming at almost a pedestrian pace.

Injured Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal was replaced by English pacer Chris Jordan.

Islamabad chase was behind the eight-ball right from the start, and despite a late assault from Babar Azam (45-ball 53) and Joe Denly (unbeaten 79 off 46 balls), they ended up 13 runs short with eight wickets in hand.

SCORES IN BRIEF

PESHAWAR ZALMI: 170 for 7 (Kamran 77, Fletcher 34, Sammy 23; Bopara 3-35, Mills 2-23)

KARACHI KINGS: 157 for 2 (Denly 79, Babar 53; Gul 1-20)

Result: Zalmi won by 13 runs