Malik’s last-ball boundary helps Karachi Kings outplay Lahore Qalandars in thriller

Staff Report

 KARACHI: Karachi Kings handed defending champion Lahore Qalandars a stunning three-wicket defeat in the 26th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9 at National Bank Stadium here on Saturday. Karachi chased a 178-run target on the last ball of the final over with Shoaib Malik hitting four off Zaman Khan. James Vince and Tim Seifert started the chase aggressively. Vince took the charge mostly while Seifert played an anchor role. The Englishman smashed 42 before Tayyab Abbas dismissed him. Captain Shan Masood came one down today and paired with Seifert post 40-run stand. Masood (24) was clean bowled by Sikandar Raza to have a mini collapse with Kieron Pollard and Seifert also going back to the pavilion. Tayyab had the better of Pollard, who only made 3 while Seifert was run out in a bizarre way in the 15th over. Malik chipped the bowl with Tayyab getting his fingertips on it while it was heading in the direction of stumps at the non-striker’s end. The bowler made contact with Seifert thinking he was short of the crease and returned to the dugout with the third umpire giving not out.

Seifert left the crease at the non-striker’s end when Malik came at the non-striker’s end too and by that time fielder pinged a throw to Shai Hope who removed the bails at his end too, leaving Seifert to remain out. Malik was joined by Irfan Khan Niazi, who played a crucial 16-ball 35 which led Karachi to make a comeback in the game. The 21-year-old hit six fours which included some delightful ramp shots. The 42-year-old kept his cool after Irfan’s dismissal and found boundaries. The game went down to the last ball with Malik hitting a boundary, keeping Karachi in the hunt for the spot in playoffs. Earlier, Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique notched up rapid half-centuries, propelling Lahore to a total of 177-5. Opting to bat first, Lahore, already eliminated from playoff contention, accumulated a respectable score, courtesy of a stabilising second-wicket partnership. However, the visitors had a contrasting start to their innings, losing opener Tahir Baig in the third over with a mere 16 runs on the board.

Following this early setback, Fakhar joined Abdullah in the middle, and together they orchestrated a remarkable recovery for Lahore. The duo forged a brisk 70-run partnership for the second wicket. Fakhar spearheaded the partnership, reaching his half-century in just 32 deliveries. Unfortunately, the left-handed batter concluded his courageous innings in the 11th over, falling victim to a direct hit from Muhammad Irfan Khan. Fakhar contributed 54 runs off 35 deliveries, featuring five boundaries and two sixes. After Fakhar’s departure, Abdullah assumed responsibility for the Qalandars’ batting, accelerating to his half-century in 36 deliveries. He briefly partnered with Shai Hope (9) before succumbing in the 17th over. Abdullah emerged as the top-scorer for Lahore, amassing 55 runs off 39 balls, including five boundaries and a six. Later in the innings, Sikandar Raza and David Wiese bolstered Lahore’s total with a rapid 46-run partnership. Raza scored 22 off 16 deliveries, while Wiese, smashing three sixes, accumulated 24 runs in nine balls. Zahid Mahmood led the bowling attack for Karachi, securing two wickets, while Blessing Muzarabani and Anwar Ali claimed one scalp each.

SCOREBOARD

LAHORE QALANDARS INNINGS

Mirza Baig c Irfan b Anwar      4

Fakhar Zaman run out     54

Abdullah Shafique c Anwar b Muzarabani   55

Shai Hope c Shoaib b Zahid      9

Shaheen Shah Afridi c Pollard b Zahid         1

Sikandar Raza not out     22

David Wiese not out       24

Did not bat: Ahsan Hafeez, Jahandad Khan, Tayyab Abbas, Zaman Khan

EXTRAS (LB 5, W 3)    8

TOTAL (20 overs)         177-5

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16 (Mirza Baig, 2.4 ov), 2-86 (Fakhar Zaman, 10.3 ov), 3-119 (Shai Hope, 14.2 ov), 4-122 (Shaheen Shah Afridi, 14.6 ov), 5-131 (Abdullah Shafique, 16.4 ov)

BOWLING

Shoaib Malik        3-0-28-0

Blessing Muzarabani      4-0-40-1

Anwar Ali   4-0-36-1

Hasan Ali    4-0-30-0

Zahid Mahmood   4-0-27-2

Kieron Pollard      1-0-11-0

KARACHI KINGS INNINGS

Tim Seifert run out          36

James Vince c Hope b Tayyab 42

Shan Masood b Sikandar 24

Kieron Pollard c Hope b Tayyab         3

Shoaib Malik not out      27

Irfan Khan b Shaheen      35

Anwar Ali c & b Zaman 1

Arafat Minhas run out     1

Hasan Ali not out  3

Did not bat: Zahid Mahmood, Blessing Muzarabani

EXTRAS (LB 1, W 6)    7

TOTAL (20 overs)         179-7

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-59 (James Vince, 6.4 ov), 2-99 (Shan Masood, 11.3 ov), 3-107 (Kieron Pollard, 12.6 ov), 4-113 (Tim Seifert, 14.2 ov), 5-165 (Irfan Khan, 18.3 ov), 6-170 (Anwar Ali, 19.1 ov), 7-172 (Arafat Minhas, 19.3 ov)

BOWLING

Shaheen Shah Afridi       4-0-37-1

Ahsan Hafeez       1-0-17-0

Zaman Khan         4-0-41-1

Jahandad Khan     1-0-9-0

Tayyab Abbas       3-0-23-2

Sikandar Raza       4-0-23-1

David Wiese         3-0-28-0

Umpires: Rashid Riaz, Richard Illingworth

TV umpire: Faisal Afridi

Match referee: Ali Naqvi