Another day, another dismal performance by Multan Sultans as Karachi Kings romp to victory while chasing a meager 119.
Batting first, Multan Sultans lacked the intention to go big and none of the batsmen managed to provide a solid innings which Shoaib Malik’s side desperately needed.
Hammad Azam top scored with 29 at a strike rate of 96.66, which is poor looking at his batting position and the dynamics of global T20 leagues. Usman Shinwari was the pick of the bowlers with 4 wickets for 15 runs, while the emerging cricketer, Umer Khan claimed two wickets.
It should have been a walk in the park for Karachi Kings with huge names like Babar Azam and Colin Munro opening the innings, however, two quick wickets by teenage pacer Mohammad Ilyas dented the chase somewhat.
Colin Ingram (31) and Liam Livingstone (53*) made sure there were no more hiccups in the chase as Karachi Kings stormed to the finishing line with 5 wickets in hand. Mohammad Ilyas took three while Mohammad Abbas bagged two wickets.
The players have landed in Abu Dhabi for the last few matches in the UAE and the tussle for the top 4 spots has intensified.
With each team left with 2 or 3 matches before the playoffs, the bottom-ranked teams including Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings hope to win all of their remaining fixtures to increase their chances of qualification.
Match Details
| Date | Monday, March 04, 2019 |
| Time | 09:00 PM PST |
| Umpires | Shozab Raza (PAK) Richard Illingworth (ENG) |
| Match Referee | Mohammad Javed (PAK) |
| TV Umpire | Rashid Riaz (PAK) |
| Venue | Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi |
Head-to-head
Out of the three meetings, Karachi Kings has won twice with one match producing no result.
Possible XI
Karachi Kings:
Colin Munro, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Liam Livingstone, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Imad Wasim (C), Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Aaron Summers, Umer Khan
Multan Sultans:
Johnson Charles, Umar Siddiq (WK), James Vince, Shoaib Malik (C), Daniel Christian, Lauri Evans, Shahid Afridi, Nauman Ali, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Ilyas
Players to Lookout For
Karachi Kings:
Imad Wasim has been economical in his spells this PSL, however, he is yet to convert his performances into match-winning ones. He is a handy finisher with the bat as well and if his team is to make it to the qualifiers, his contributions are very important.
Multan Sultans:
Shoaib Malik has been in sublime form and the fans would hope to see more of such performances. He is a key player for Pakistan in the upcoming Cricket World Cup 2019 and he would want to be at his absolute best for the mega event.
Featured Image via Cricket Pakistan
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