Lahore — March 22: Quetta Gladiators held their nerve in a nail-biting finish to claim a five-run victory over Karachi Kings in a gripping Pakistan Super League (PSL 10) clash at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. This marks Quetta’s second win of the tournament, adding valuable momentum to their campaign.
Chasing a modest target of 143, Karachi Kings came tantalizingly close but faltered at the finish line, ending their innings at 137-8.
The Kings’ chase got off to a rocky start when skipper David Warner was dismissed for just four in the opening over by Mohammad Amir. However, a strong counterattack from Tim Seifert and James Vince reignited Karachi’s hopes. The pair stitched together a brisk 50-run partnership, finding boundaries with ease and placing pressure back on Quetta.
The breakthrough came in the ninth over when Gladiators captain Saud Shakeel struck to dismiss Vince for 30 (29), leaving Karachi at 77-2. Seifert continued to lead the charge, smashing 47 off just 26 balls before falling to Mohammad Wasim Jr. in the 12th over.
Karachi’s innings unraveled from there. Shan Masood labored to 9 off 17 before being removed by Khurram Shahzad. Abrar Ahmed struck soon after to send Khushdil Shah back for a golden duck, and Amir returned to take out Mohammad Nabi for just four.
Shahzad and Wasim Jr. then dismissed Abbas Afridi and Omair Bin Yousuf in quick succession. Despite a spirited 24* off 13 balls from Hasan Ali in the closing overs, Karachi couldn’t cross the line.
Quetta’s Gritty Innings
Earlier, Quetta Gladiators were put under early pressure after opting to bat first. Skipper Saud Shakeel was dismissed cheaply by Hasan Ali, and Mohammad Nabi removed Mark Chapman, reducing Quetta to 44-4 by the end of the powerplay.
Kusal Mendis offered resistance with a brisk 36 off 22 balls, laced with five boundaries, before falling to Abbas Afridi. His 25-run stand with Hassan Nawaz helped steady the ship briefly.
Nawaz (35 off 34) and Faheem Ashraf (43 off 26) provided the backbone of Quetta’s innings with a crucial 59-run partnership for the sixth wicket. But once Afridi dismissed Faheem, the lower order collapsed, and Quetta were bowled out for 139 in 19.3 overs.
Bowling Highlights
Hasan Ali led Karachi’s attack with 3-30, while Abbas Afridi and Mir Hamza took two wickets each. Mohammad Nabi and debutant Fawad Ali also chipped in with one wicket apiece.
With this win, Quetta moves up the PSL standings, while Karachi will be left ruing missed opportunities in a game that was within their grasp.
