Peshawar Zalmi successfully defended 147 to beat Karachi Kings by two runs in a nail-biter on Monday.On the last ball, Irfan Khan needed a four and fast bowler Aamer Jamal conceded only one bye.Zalmi moved to the top of the standings and will play the first qualifier in the playoffs on Thursday. Their opponent will be determined on Tuesday after the last round-robin game between other qualifiers Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators.Two-time champions Islamabad United are the other playoffs team and will take on the loser of Tuesday’s game in the Eliminator on Friday.Kings, who were already eliminated from the playoffs race, finished fifth overall with four wins in 10 matches, while defending champions Lahore Qalandars had a dismal campaign with only one win and eight losses.Zalmi rode captain Babar Azam’s fifth half-century of the season, 51, and Rovman Powell’s brisk 30 off 18 balls to reach 147 for 6 on a tricky pitch, which offered plenty of turn. Even so, both batters were run out.Kings came agonisingly close in reaching 145 for 5. Tim Siefert (41) and James Vince (21) gave their team a resolute start of 61 by smashing 12 boundaries between them. Then the batters were strangled by Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq( 2-22) and Saim Ayub, (1-18), in the middle overs. Irfan Khan hit 39 not out and almost won it.Left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, who picked up 1 for 11, bowled the most economical four-over spell of the league against Zalmi.