KARACHI: James Vince’s determined half-century and a dominant display from bowlers propelled Karachi Kings to a 56-run win against Quetta Gladiators in the eighth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 here at National Bank Stadium on Friday.
Chasing a challenging target of 176, Quetta Gladiators were restricted to 119 for the 9 in their 20 overs.
The Gladiators never looked comfortable during the chase, losing wickets at regular intervals. Karachi Kings’ bowlers wreaked havoc early on, picking up wickets in the powerplay.
Quetta Gladiators lost their opener, Finn Allen (6), in the very first over. After an early wicket, hopes were pinned on emerging batter Hasan Nawaz to steady the innings. However, he was dismissed off Hasan Ali’s bowling, thanks to a spectacular catch by Khushdil Shah.
The 2017 champions were eventually 37-5 in 5.5 overs, as their batting line was a house of cards. Kusal Mendis (12) and Khawaja Nafay (1) went in quick succession.
Furthermore, the experienced Rilee Rossouw could not rise to the occasion as he was dismissed for a mere one run. Saud Shakeel remained firm on one end; however, it was insufficient to bring his team closer to the target.
The embattled side skipper Saud remained unbeaten on 33 off 40 balls, striking three fours.
For Karachi Kings, Hasan Ali emerged as the standout bowler, claiming three wickets for 27 runs in his four overs. Mohammad Nabi also contributed significantly, taking two wickets while conceding just seven runs in his four overs.
James Vince was awarded ‘Player of the Match’ for the second time in the PSL 10, for his brilliant batting display.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Karachi Kings posted 175 for the loss of seven wickets in their allocated 20 overs.
The home side capitalized on the decision earlier in the innings, posting 60 runs in 5.4 overs. Skipper David Warner and Tim Seifert led the charge with aggressive batting. The blazing stand ended with the dismissal of Warner.
David Warner struck five fours on his way to a well-made 31 off 20 deliveries. After failing to contain the Kings’ batters in the early overs, the Gladiators struck once the spinners were introduced.
Seifert was also dismissed in the sixth over, thanks to a peach of a delivery from Saud Shakeel. Karachi Kings failed to capitalize on a good start and lost wickets at regular intervals.
Young batter Muhammad Riazullah (6), Khushdil Shah (1) went in quick succession, courtesy of brilliant bowling from mystery spinner Ali Majid.
However, James Vince remained firm on one end and went on to score his second-half century of the season. He forged a 34-run partnership with Irfan Khan. Irfan was dismissed on 17 off 12 balls, hitting one six.
In the last phase of the innings, Mohammad Nabi combined with Vince and added a 49-run partnership in quick time. Nabi’s cameo laced with two sixes ended on 18.
James Vince remained till the end and was dismissed on the penultimate ball of the innings, ensuring that the Kings reached a challenging total.
He top-scored with 70 off 47 deliveries, laced with six fours and one six.
For Quetta Gladiators, Ali Majid was the pick of the bowlers, taking two wickets for 29 in his four overs. Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, and Saud Shakeel bagged one wicket each.
PLAYING XIs
Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Tim Seifert (w), James Vince, Irfan Khan, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Riazullah, Mohammad Nabi, Aamer Jamal, Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (c), Finn Allen, Hasan Nawaz, Kusal Mendis (w), Rilee Rossouw, Khawaja Nafay, Faheem Ashraf, Sean Abbott, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed, Ali Majid
