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LAHORE: A composed late assault from Moeen Ali, followed by a decisive four-wicket haul from Hasan Ali, powered Karachi Kings to a hard-fought 14-run victory over Quetta Gladiators in a thrilling Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 clash at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Defending a competitive 182-run target, Karachi held their nerve to restrict Quetta to 167-7 despite a blazing start from the Gladiators’ top order.
Chasing the total, Quetta came out aggressively as opener Shamyl Hussain and captain Saud Shakeel stitched together a rapid 79-run stand in just seven overs.
Hussain led the charge with a scintillating 52 off 24 deliveries, laced with boundaries all around the park, before his dismissal triggered a shift in momentum.
The Kings struck back quickly through Salman Ali Agha and Adam Zampa, removing Hussain, Khawaja Nafay (3) and Shakeel in quick succession. Shakeel managed a steady 33 off 25 balls but struggled to maintain the required tempo.
A brief rebuilding effort from Rilee Rossouw and Hasan Nawaz added 29 runs, but the innings never truly regained control.
Hasan Ali then turned the contest decisively in Karachi’s favour with a match-defining penultimate over, dismissing Nawaz before removing Tom Curran and Ahmed Daniyal in quick succession.
Despite a late cameo from Ben McDermott (25*), Quetta fell short as Karachi Kings closed out a tense finish.
Hasan Ali finished as the standout performer with figures of 4-27, while Zampa, Moeen and Agha bagged one wicket each.
Earlier, Karachi Kings posted 181-7 after being put into bat, thanks to Moeen Ali’s quick cameo.
The Kings endured an early setback when Muhammad Waseem was dismissed for a three-ball duck in the opening over, leaving the side reeling at 3-1.
Salman Ali Agha and captain David Warner then steadied the innings with a 41-run stand. Agha struck a quickfire 22 off just 10 deliveries before being trapped lbw by Ahmed Daniyal.
Warner then anchored the innings alongside Saad Baig, adding 43 runs for the third wicket. Baig’s 30 off 23 balls ended at the hands of Daniyal, while Warner followed soon after with a measured 35 from 22 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and a six, as Karachi slipped to 100-4 midway through the innings.
The middle order, however, struggled to build sustained momentum. Azam Khan fell for 14 after being bowled by Usman Tariq, leaving the Kings in need of a late surge.
That impetus came through Moeen Ali, who took control in the latter stages of the innings. He forged a crucial 39-run partnership with Khushdil Shah (12) before accelerating in the death overs.
Moeen remained unbeaten on a fluent 48 off 29 deliveries, striking four fours and three sixes, ensuring Karachi finished strongly at 181-7.
For Quetta Gladiators, Ahmed Daniyal was the standout performer with the ball, claiming three wickets for 36 runs in his four overs. Alzarri Joseph provided solid support with two wickets, while Usman Tariq and Abrar Ahmed chipped in with one apiece.
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