Image Credit- PCB
In the Pakistan
Super League on Saturday, Karachi Kings faced the two-time champion Lahore
Qalandars and needed to win. Shoaib Malik scored a boundary off the final ball
to give Karachi Kings a three-wicket lead.
With eight points from nine games, the victory maintained the Kings’ prospects
of qualifying for the postseason. Only the Quetta Gladiators had defeated
Qalandars, who had already lost seven games without their injured spinner
Rashid Khan.
In a thrilling last over, Malik (27 not out) guided fast bowler Zaman Khan’s
low full toss through point with three runs needed off the final delivery,
leading his team to a victory of 179 for 7.
Following Shan
Masood, the captain of the Kings, winning the toss and electing to field,
Abdullah Shafique (55), and Fakhar Zaman (54), scored half century to help
Qalandars post 177 for 5.
After having trouble opening in his first season as the team’s captain, Masood
decided to drop to No. 3, and it paid off as Tim Seifert (36), along with James
Vince (42) and other experienced players, contributed a solid start of 59.
However, Qalandars rallied when Kieron Pollard (3) was decisively removed by
fast bowler Tayyab Abbas (2-23) and Seifert was run out following a significant
miscommunication with Malik.
Before the Qalandars
captain Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-37) threw back his middle stump in the last
over, Irfan Khan struck a quick 35 from 16 balls with six boundaries. Zaman
gave up just five runs in his opening five deliveries, but Malik remained
composed to give the Kings the victory with the very next delivery.