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KARACHI: Karachi Kings assistant coach Mohammad Masroor has vowed to make a comeback after defeat against Islamabad United on Sunday in the 10th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10.
Chasing a modest total of 129 runs, the defending champions knocked the winning runs comfortably, losing three wickets in the process with 17 balls to spare.
Islamabad United were off to a solid start in pursuit of the target, posting 34 runs in four overs. The stand between Azam Khan and Sahibzada Farhan came to an end with the latter’s dismissal.
Sahibzada Farhan, the leading run-scorer in PSL 10, was caught after scoring 31 off 18 deliveries, an innings featuring five fours and one six. Colin Munro (4) was also dismissed in the same over, providing a brief opening for Karachi Kings.
However, the promoted opener Azam Khan remained firm at one end, forging a 65-run partnership with Shadab Khan. His gutsy 31 off 30 deliveries included three fours and one huge six.
Player of the Match Shadab Khan top-scored with a composed 47 off 40 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes.
For Karachi Kings, Hasan Ali was the stand-out bowler, taking two for 28 in his four overs while both Abbas Afridi and Mohammad Nabi claimed one wicket each.
While speaking to the media in the post-match press conference, Masroor shared his thoughts on the team’s decisions and pitch conditions.
“We won the first two matches because of Karachi Kings top-order. We have a strong core and we will bounce back in the next match,” he said.
Masroor revealed that had there been a left-handed batter, they would have introduced Mohammad Nabi earlier into the attack. He explained that the pitch supported both spinners and fast bowlers.
“Two right-handers were playing; had a left-hander been present, we would have used Nabi. We aimed for pace because the pitch was equally supportive of fast bowlers,” he remarked.
“Our overseas players are performing well. If pitches continue to improve, they’ll be able to contribute even more,” he added.
Speaking about his role, Masroor mentioned that he assists head coach Ravi Bopara in understanding the local players better. He also pointed out that the pitch was made using Australian soil, which made it slightly tricky to read.”
“I assist him [Ravi Bopara] in understanding the local players. We were expecting more bounce here, but this wicket wasn’t exactly ideal for T20 cricket,” he concluded.
