Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars in the tenth match of the PSL 9 season by 2 wickets in a thrilling encounter against the old nemesis at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Following three losses in a row, the Qalandars needed a crucial victory and Sahibzada came up to their respite scoring 72 runs off 45 balls carrying his bat throughout the innings, and producing a scintilating knock.
On the other end, South African all-rounder George Linde also played a crucial innings of 26 runs with a strike rate of 200 to help the Qalandars post a total of 175-6.
Hassan Ali was the best performer in Karachi’s bowling line-up with figures of 2-29 in his 4 overs quota while Daniel Sams had a bad day in the office for the Kings, conceding 52 runs in 4 overs.
After a wobbly start, Karachi Kings were reduced to 44-4 thanks to fabulous spells by Zaman Khan and Lahore’s left-arm orthodox spinner Ahsan Bhatti.
Shoaib Malik and Kieron Pollard brought the Kings back into the game and provided the impetus in the innings which the men in blue needed dearly. They amassed a partnership of 95 runs while Pollard scored his 60th fifty in his long and illustrious T20 career which began in 2008.
Pollard also took a brilliant catch at long-off to send Jahandad Khan back to the pavilion off Mir Hamza’s over in the first innings.
The game turned on its head when Shaheen Afridi dismissed Kieron Pollard on 58 runs and then took a brilliant catch off Haris Rauf’s bowling while dismissing the in-form Malik.
Once the dangerous batting maestros of T20 cricket were dismissed the game went into ‘thriller’ mode as there were twists and turns after every ball, it was surely a PSL classic.
Zaman Khan tried hard to peg Karachi back and help his franchise win the match but his magnificent bowling figures of 2-25 were not enough in the end.
Hassan Ali and Mir Hamza provided a couple of hefty blows to bring Karachi home in a dramatic encounter that can be named the “El Classico of PSL”
Man of the match was awarded to Kieron Pollard.
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