| Multan Sultans (186/6) beat Karachi Kings (134/10) by 52 runs Man of the Match: Moeen Ali (MS) |
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Karachi Kings opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
1st Innings
Multan Sultans tried a new opening pair, promoting left-handed batsman, Zeeshan Ashraf alongside Moeen Ali. Zeeshan looked pretty solid at the start, smacking 23 from just 13 balls before being removed by part-timer Iftikhar Ahmed.
Moeen (65) got into the groove really quickly as well scoring his firs PSL fifty. Captain Shan Masood (61) also joined the party and went on to raise his half-century. Small contributions from the lower order made sure that the home team posted a very strong total of 186/6 on the board.
Mohammad Amir and Chris Jordan took two wickets each.
2nd Innings
Sharjeel Khan walked back to the pavilion very early in the chase with only 19 runs on the board. Babar Azam couldn’t kick on as well, scoring just 13 runs to leave his team reeling at 45/2. It took a special catch by Mohammad Ilyas to send him packing.
Alex Hales tried to provide the much-needed impetus, however, Shahid Afridi crushed Kings’ dreams by sending him back to the dugout without doing much damage. He scored 29 from 21 balls.
Sultans spinners worked in tandem to rip apart the opposition’s batting line-up as they thumped them by 52 runs.
Pre-Match
After plenty of drama last night in Rawalpindi, it’s a double-header Friday, with today’s first match scheduled between Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings at Multan Cricket Stadium whereas Rawalpindi will host the night match between Lahore Qalandars and Peshawar Zalmi.
Things are getting pretty interesting in terms of the points table as Quetta Gladiators have climbed to the top with their nervy win against Islamabad United on Thursday.
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Here’s all you need to know about today’s match:
Match Details
There is a slight change in timings on Friday due to the prayers which is why both the matches are scheduled an hour later than the usual timings.
| Date | Friday, 28th February 2020 |
| Time | 03:00 pm PST |
| Venue | Multan Cricket Stadium |
Head-to-Head
Multan Sultans and Karachi Kings have faced each other 4 times in PSL. Sultans are yet to defeat Kings, which makes the contest even more thrilling as there will be plenty on the line for the home team.
Playing XI
Having won the previous match, Multan Sultans are unlikely to change their winning combination. The same cannot be said about Karachi Kings which lost its previous match.
Multan Sultans:
Shan Masood (C), Rilee Rossouw, James Vince, Zeeshan Ashraf (WK), Khushdil Shah, Moeen Ali, Shahid Afridi, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Ilyas, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan
Karachi Kings:
Alex Hales, Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Cameron Delport, Chadwick Walton (WK), Imad Wasim (C), Umaid Asif, Mohammad Amir, Chris Jordan, Arshad Iqbal
Players to Lookout For
Multan Sultans:
Mohammad Irfan played a crucial role in pinning down the opposition in their last match right from the start. His ability to provide good starts with the ball will be the key for Sultans.
Karachi Kings:
Alex Hales is a pure match-winner and he can win games for any side he plays even from impossible situations. His presence in the team is a huge plus for the Kings.
Here’s the updated PSL 2020 points table. You can find the complete PSL 2020 schedule here.
