LAHORE: Quetta Gladiators’ pacer – Khurram Shehzad picked four wickets to help his side beat Karachi Kings by 23 runs in the 28th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7, here on Sunday.
Set to chase 167, the Kings fell short of 23 runs; handing a comprehensive victory by 23 runs to the Gladiators.
Kings’ openers – Babar Azam and Joe Clarke provided a solid start to the side; putting on a brilliant 87-runs partnership before Babar walked back to the pavilion in the 11th over. The top-ranked T20I batter scored 36 off 34 deliveries with the help of three boundaries and a six.
Following his departure, Sharjeel Khan joined Clarke in the middle and started to sail the ball all over the park but could not continue for long as he departed after scoring a quickfire 16 off just seven deliveries.
Following Sharjeel’s departure, the side began to lose wickets at an alarming rate as their top-scorer Clarke also perished after scoring 52 off 39 balls; smashing four boundaries and two sixes. As a result, the side finished at 143-8 in the allotted 20 overs.
For the Gladiators, Khurram starred; taking four wickets, while Naseem claimed two. Mohammad Irfan and Ashir Qureshi, on the other hand, made one scalp each.
After opting to bat first against the Kings, the Gladiators finished their first innings at 166-4 in the allotted 20 overs.
Coming out to bat, the Gladiators’ openers Jason Roy and Will Smeed failed to provide a delightful start to their side as Usman Shinwari managed to break the opening pair in the third over as Smeed departed after scoring 10.
With the side at 21-1 in three overs, Roy and James Vince provided an anchored partnership to settle things down for the Gladiators. The pair recorded a brilliant 90-runs partnership but remained a touch slow in the proceedings.
Vince, who was struggling to get going, looked to accelerate his innings but fell short to Lewis Gregory in the 13th over. The right-handed batter could score 29 off 24 balls with the help of three boundaries and a six.
His countryman, Roy on the other hand, kept going and went on to score his half-century while the side soon after lost another wicket as Umar Akmal walked back to the pavilion after scoring a mere two.
Kings’ bowlers then delivered tight bowling in the death overs as Roy and his newly joined partner Iftikhar Ahmed remained unable to go big and bolster the score. In the 19th over, Roy also made his way back to the pavilion after scoring 82 off 64 balls, laced with 11 boundaries, while Iftikhar remained unbeaten with his 21.
For the Kings, Imad Wasim, Mir Hamza, Gregory, and Shinwari bagged one wicket apiece.
