Karachi Kings edge out Lahore Qalandars in low-scoring thriller

Staff Report

LAHORE: Karachi Kings got over the line against Lahore Qalandars in a 129-run chase with four wickets in hand and three balls to spare as the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 saw out its second of the 12 double-headers here at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore on Sunday night. After an impressive display of spin bowling from player of the match Adam Zampa with a spell of 2-11 including a maiden in four overs and two wickets each for Mir Hamza and Moeen Ali, opening batter Muhammad Waseem (38, 37b, 3x4s) and Kings’ lower order held tight to deliver a second win on the trot for the 2020 Champions. For Qalandars, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 4-11 and Abdullah Shafique’s 33 – one of the only two thirties in the game – went in vain after they managed to stay in the run till penultimate over of chase and threatened to overtake Islamabad United’s 10-year long record of second-lowest total successfully defended in HBL PSL. Lowest total successfully defended in the HBL PSL history is 126 by Karachi Kings against Islamabad United in 2017 at Sharjah.

In the chase, Khushdil Shah (13, 14b, 1×4) and Azam Khan (14 not out, 12b, 1×4) stitched a crucial 25-ball 32-run stand for the sixth wicket after Shaheen Shah Afridi landed a double blow in the 15th over removing Waseem and Moeen Ali (18, 21b, 2x4s) to leave Karachi Kings 88-5. While Kings required 41 off 30 balls, Usama Mir and Mustafizur Rahman delivered back-to-back five run overs as the required run rate crept up above 10. Azam struck Haris Rauf for a crucial four off the last ball of 18th over to sneak a total of eight across the six balls. Mustafizur, who finished with figures of 1-20 off his four overs, was struck for a four on the first ball of 19th over by Khushdil with Kings collecting five singles on the remaining balls. With 14 left off the final six balls, the Qalandars were penalised for five runs for violating HBL PSL 11 playing conditions pertaining to condition of the ball. Khushdil holed out to Sikandar Raza, who took a magnificent boundary catch at the cow corner, off Haris Rauf on the first ball of the last over with nine runs needed to win.

Muhammad Abbas Afridi showcased his hard-hitting skills on the next two balls after Haris delivered a wide. Abbas slammed a full toss delivery straight down the ground for four and followed it up with a six to take Kings home. Earlier, Shaheen led from front with the new ball removing David Warner and Salman Ali Agha in a space of three deliveries in his third over after which Ubaid Shah bowled a maiden to leave Kings 11-2 in four overs. Waseem kept one end intact with his dogged approach putting on a 29-run stand with Saad Baig (19, 21b, 3x4s) and a 43-run stand with Moeen Ali before Shaheen brought his team back in the contest. Ubaid Shah remained wicketless in his three overs giving away 11 runs, while Haris and Mustafizur were the other two wicket-taker apart from Shaheen.  At the beginning of the match, Lahore Qalandars opted to bat first and lost Fakhar Zaman – stumped – to Moeen Ali in first over and Mohammad Naeem – caught and bowled – to Mir Hamza in fourth over with 28 runs on the board.

At this juncture, Abdullah’s 24-ball 33 kept the scoreboard ticking in a 28-run stand with Parvez Hussain Emon (12, 12b, 1×6). Abdullah became Zampa’s first victim at the end of eighth over after which Haseebullah (28, 30b, 1×4, 1×6) and Sikandar (19, 21b, 1×4, 1×6) got together and registered the highest stand of the game worth 43 off 38 balls. Qalandars slid from 105-4 in 14.2 overs to 128-9 in 20, losing five for 23 as Abbas, Hasan Ali, Zampa, Moeen and Mir Hamza all struck.

Brief scores:

Match 6: Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars by four wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore

Lahore Qalandars 128-9, 20 overs (Abdullah Shafique 33, Haseebullah 28, Sikandar Raza 19; Adam Zampa 2-11, Mir Hamza 2-14, Moeen Ali 2-31) VS Karachi Kings 131-6, 19.3 overs (Muhammad Waseem 38, Saad Baig 19, Moeen Ali 18; Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-18)

Player of the match – Adam Zampa (Karachi Kings).