Image Credit- PSL
In the Pakistan Super League on Saturday, Karachi
Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars, the two-time reigning champions, in a
thrilling last-ball match. It was the team’s fourth straight loss.
Shaheen Shah Afridi (1 for 34) spearheaded a much-improved Qalandars pace
attack, which Kings overcame to reach 176 for 8 in precisely 20 overs in
response to Qalandars’ 175 for 6. Kings triumphed by two wickets.
With an undefeated 72 off 45 balls, Qalandars opener Sahibzada Farhan led the
innings after Kings asked them to bat first. George Linde, a South African,
brought the finishing touches with a light-hearted 26 off 13 balls.
The Kings’ side faltered at 44 for 4 during the
powerplay, but Kieron Pollard (58) and Shoaib Malik (39), together with their
95-run fifth-wicket stand, spearheaded the chase.
However, Qalandars regained control of the game after their departures in
consecutive overs, with Afridi being a part of both dismissals. In the 16th
over, Pollard misplayed a simple catch that was easy to cover against the
left-arm fast bowler, and in the following over, Haris Rauf dismissed Malik
with a stunning catch that Afridi made sprinting backwards from mid-off.
After taking just one wicket in the previous three games and giving up 110
runs, Rauf (1 for 22) regained his rhythm before getting hurt in the shoulder
late in the Kings’ chase.
Daniel Sams was dismissed by Zaman Khan (2 for 25),
leaving Ahsan Hafeez, an inexperienced spinner, with 11 runs to defend in the
final over.
On the first ball, Hasan Ali lifted Hafeez for a six over wide mid-on. Rauf
hurt his shoulder trying to hang on to a fantastic diving catch that brought
Hasan down after the scores were tied. With the last ball, Mir Hamza cut Hafeez
to deep third, giving the Kings their second victory in as many games. Kings
have four points, one more than Quetta Gladiators and Multan Sultans.