Tag: PSL 9

LAHORE: Quetta Gladiators’ left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir disclosed his brief conversation with Peshawar Zalmi captain Babar Azam during their sides’ Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 clash on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the third over of Peshawar Zalmi’s run chase when Amir bowled a short-pitched delivery to Babar, who failed to get any bat on it and went to wicketkeeper Sarfaraz Ahmed.

Meanwhile, while speaking at the post-match press conference, Amir was asked to share his conversation with Babar after the steamy bouncer.

“The instance you highlighted was regarding the bouncer which he said that it went quickly and couldn’t understand,” Amir replied to the question.

“He is a good player but my role has always been to pick wickets of the top batter,” stated Amir.

For the unversed, Mohammad Amir delivered a commendable performance with the ball, returning splendid figures of 1/29 in his spell of four overs in a high-scoring clash.

Babar Azam, on the other hand, was equally impressive, top-scoring for the Zalmi with a 42-ball 68. But his heroics went in vain as the Gladiators emerged victorious by 16 runs.

Set to chase 207, Peshawar Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam and Saim Ayub came out all guns blazing as they raised 70 runs in the powerplay.

However, their progress was halted by a mixup between the batters in the ninth over, resulting in Ayub’s run-out, which proved to be the turning point.

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Ayub scored a quick 42 runs from 26 balls, which featured three sixes and two boundaries.

Akeal Hosein then removed Mohammad Haris to reduce Zalmi to 108-2 in 10.2 overs before Tom Kohler-Cadmore joined hands with Azam for a 39-run stand.

Azam played a 68-run knock in 42 balls with the help of four boundaries and four sixes. He fell prey to Abrar Ahmed in the 16th over with 147 runs on the board.

Kohler-Cadmore also fell in the same over after scoring run-a-ball 18 runs, leaving Zalmis to chase 57 off 26.

Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers did not allow the batters to regain momentum and reduced them to 182-5 in 19 overs, requiring 25 off the last over.

Mohammad Wasim’s last over went for only seven runs, handing the Gladiators a 16-run win, with Abrar Ahmed leading the bowling with 2-29.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir, Hosein and Wasim bagged one wicket each.

Prior to that, Quetta Gladiators posted a mammoth total of 206/5 on the board, courtesy of Saud Shakeel and Jason Roy’s marathon opening stand.

Roy top-scored for the Gladiators with a 48-ball 75, closely followed by his opening partner Saud, who scored 74 off 47 deliveries.

READ: Malan, Hendricks’ fifties take Sultans to 185/2 against Kings

MULTAN: Dawid Malan and Reeza Hendricks’ brisk half-centuries, followed by a combined bowling effort led Multan Sultans to a 55-run victory over Karachi Kings in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 campaign opener here on Sunday.

Set to chase 186 on the tricky surface of the Multan Cricket Stadium, the Kings could amass 130/8 runs in the allotted overs despite Shoaib Malik’s gutsy half-century.

The visitors had a shaky start to the pursuit, courtesy of David Willey’s back-to-back wickets — James Vince (5) and Saad Baig (0) — in the third over of the innings.

Following the slump, skipper Shan Masood joined forces with experienced Malik and began to launch a recovery.

The pair added 52 runs for the third wicket before Usama Mir dismissed Masood in the ninth over. The Kings’ captain scored 30 off 31 balls, hitting four boundaries and a six.

Malik then put together a one-sided partnership with Mohammad Nawaz which yielded 37 runs.

The experienced, aware of the mounting required run rate switched gears in the 12th over of the innings when he hit Iftikhar Ahmed for a six and two boundaries.

He brought up his 15th PSL half-century on the first delivery of the 13th over by smashing Abbas Afridi for a boundary with an elegant cover drive.

But Abbas hit back on the next delivery and dismissed Malik, who remained the top-scorer for the Kings with 53 off 35 deliveries, peppered with five boundaries and two sixes.

Abbas then struck again in the same over, removing Mohammad Nawaz (seven) and igniting a collapse in the Kings’ batting lineup.

The visitors lost three more wickets in quick succession and consequently slipped to 113/8 in 17 overs.

Experienced all-rounder Kieron Pollard waged a lone battle at the end with a gutsy cameo but his efforts went in vain as the Kings fell short by 55 runs.

He remained unbeaten on 28 off 29 deliveries, which featured four boundaries and a six.

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Mohammad Ali led the bowling charge for the Sultans with 3/23, followed by Willey and Abbas, picking up two wickets each.

Mir, on the other hand, could only take one wicket but was economical, leaking just 14 runs in his four-over spell.

Put into bat first, the Sultans registered a commendable total on the board in their first PSL 9 fixture, courtesy of a marathon second-wicket partnership between Malan and Hendricks.

The home side, however, had a contrasting start to their innings as Mir Hamza trapped their skipper Mohammad Rizwan (11) lbw on the first delivery of the third over with just 17 runs on the board.

The Sultans were unfazed by the early blow as Hendricks joined Malan in the middle to give them a steady start.

The duo batted with great determination to keep the scoreboard ticking and registered half-centuries at a decent strike rate.

Their 121-run partnership finally lasted in the 17th over when Dawid Malan misjudged Daniel Sams’ slower delivery and launched the ball straight to substitute fielder Irfan Khan at deep midwicket.

Malan smashed four boundaries and a six on his way to a 41-ball 52.

Hendricks, on the other hand, stood his ground firm and carried his bat all the way through with an unbeaten 79 off 54 deliveries, laced up seven boundaries and three sixes.

He was involved in yet another crucial partnership for the Sultans when he added 47 runs for the third wicket alongside Khushdil Shah, who played an important cameo at the backend.

Khushdil scored 28 off 13, hitting four boundaries, to help Hendricks bolster the Sultans’ total.

For the Kings, Mir Hamza and Daniel Sams bagged one wicket apiece.

READ: James Vince named Karachi Kings’ vice-captain for PSL 9

MULTAN: Dawid Malan and Reeza Hendricks’ brisk half-centuries, followed by a combined bowling effort led Multan Sultans to a 55-run victory over Karachi Kings in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 campaign opener here on Sunday.

KK 130/8 (20 Overs)

Dahani to bowl the final over

KK 127/8 (19 Overs)

Willey bowls the penultimate over

KK 118/8 (18 Overs)

Abbas replaces Mir

KK 113/8 (17 Overs)

16.6: Full ball on middle stump, Hamza missed a big swing with the bat, hit the pad in line of middle stump, huge shout for lbw and up goes the finger

Ali comes to bowl his last

KK 102/7 (16 Overs)

Mir bowls his last

KK 101/7 (15 Overs)

14.5: Full ball on middle stump, Hasan tried to play across the line, missed it and took it on the pad in front of stumps, huge shout for lbw and up goes the finger.101

14.3: Full and fast on middle stump, goes through the bat as it goes down and hits the base of the middle stump.

Mohammad Ali comes back

KK 100/5 (14 Overs)

13.4: Back of length just outside off, looks like it holds a bit in the pitch, Nawaz chips it to extra cover for a dolly.

13.2: Short in length, just outside off, Malik once again gave himself some room and cuts it hard straight at the throat of Mir at backward point.

Abbas replaces Iftikhar

KK 95/3 (13 Overs)

Mir bowls his third

KK 89/3 (12 Overs)

Iftikhar continues

KK 71/3 (11 Overs)

Mir continues

KK 67/3 (10 Overs)

Iftikhar Ahmed comes to bowl his first

KK 62/3 (9 Overs)

8.6: Tossed up, on middle stump, Shan went for the slog sweep, hit the bottom part of the bat and it went flat straight in the hands of David Willey at deep midwicket.

Usama Mir comes into the attack

KK 59/2 (8 Overs)

Dahani continues

KK 41/2 (7 Overs)

Abbas Afridi joins the attack

KK 36/2 (6 Overs)

Shahnawaz Dahani brought into the attack

KK 26/2 (5 Overs)

Willey bowls his third

KK 14/2 (4 Overs)

Ali continues

KK 12/2 (3 Overs)

2.3: An unwanted start to Saad Baig’s PSL 9 as he fell for a golden duck.

2.2: Back of a length, just outside off and angling across, Vince went for the pull shot, got a thick outside edge and Mohammad Ali at third man took a good catch.

Willey continues

KK 10/0 (2 Overs)

Mohammad Ali to bowl from the other end

KK 1/0 (1 Over)

Shan Masood and James Vince come out to open for Karachi Kings. David Willey to bowl the first over.

MULTAN SULTANS vs KARACHI KINGS (2nd INNINGS)

MULTAN: Dawid Malan and Reeza Hendricks scored brisk half-centuries to take home side Multan Sultans to 185/2 in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 campaign opener against Karachi Kings here on Sunday.

MS 185/2 (20 Overs)

Hasan bowls the final over

MS 172/2 (19 Overs)

Sams bowls the penultimate over

MS 161/2 (18 Overs)

Shamsi bowls his last

MS 144/2 (17 Overs)

16.1: Slower delivery on middle stump, Malan goes for the big shot on the leg side, mistimed it and goes high in the air, deep midwicket fielder took it with ease.

Sams comes back

MS 138/1 (16 Overs)

Hasan replaces Shamsi

MS 126/1 (15 Overs)

Hamza bowls his last

MS 120/1 (14 Overs)

Shamnsi replaces Malik

MS 107/1 (13 Overs)

Sams brought back

MS 98/1 (12 Overs)

Malik returns

MS 93/1 (11 Overs)

Hasan comes back

MS 89/1 (10 Overs)

Shamsi continues

MS 81/1 (9 Overs)

Nawaz brought into the attack

MS 70/1 (8 Overs)

Tabraiz Shamsi joins the attack

MS 63/1 (7 Overs)

Hasan Ali brought into the attack

MS 53/1 (6 Overs)

Shoaib Malik comes to bowl

MS 47/1 (5 Overs)

Hamza bowls his third

MS 35/1 (4 Overs)

Daniel Sams comes into the attack

MS 23/1 (3 Overs)

2.1: Mir Hamza bowls full on middle stump and it swung back in, Rizwan tried to play across the line, missed it and hit the pads, huge shout for lbw and up goes the finger.

Hamza continues

MS 17/0 (2 Overs)

Mohammad Amir Khan to bowl from the other end

MS 10/0 (1 Over)

Mohammad Rizwan and Dawid Malan come out to open the innings for the Sultans. Mir Hamza to bowl the first over.

MULTAN SULTANS vs KARACHI KINGS (1st INNINGS)

MULTAN: Karachi Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first against home side Multan Sultans in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 campaign opener here on Sunday.

PLAYING XIs

KARACHI KINGS: Shan Masood (c), James Vince, Saad Baig, Mohammad Nawaz, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Hasan Ali, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir Khan.

MULTAN SULTANS: Mohammad Rizwan, Dawid Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Yasir Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani.

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 21, Karachi Kings 5, Multan Sultans 5, Tied 1, No Result 2

READ: Roy, Shakeel help Quetta Gladiators ease past Peshawar Zalmi

MULTAN: Karachi Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first against home side Multan Sultans in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 campaign opener here on Sunday.

PLAYING XIs

KARACHI KINGS: Shan Masood (c), James Vince, Saad Baig, Mohammad Nawaz, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Hasan Ali, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir Khan.

MULTAN SULTANS: Mohammad Rizwan, Dawid Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Yasir Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani.

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 21, Karachi Kings 5, Multan Sultans 5, Tied 1, No Result 2

READ: Roy, Shakeel help Quetta Gladiators ease past Peshawar Zalmi

KARACHI: Karachi Kings, the franchise of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) representing the biggest city in the country, on Sunday, announced England’s James Vince as their vice-captain for the PSL 9.

The ground-breaking announcement was made by the owner of Karachi Kings, Mr Salman Iqbal, ahead of the former champions’ PSL9 campaign opener against Multan Sultans in the latter’s home ground.

James Vince takes charge as a Vice-Captain of #KingsSquad for #HBLPSL9, bringing his firepower to our leadership alongside the captain! 🌟 #YehHaiKarachi | #MSvKK #KarachiKings pic.twitter.com/sm7EbCphF2

— Karachi Kings (@KarachiKingsARY) February 18, 2024

Notably, James Vince was a part of Karachi Kings in the previous edition of the PSL and was retained by the franchise for this year’s extravaganza.

Moreover, he was part of the Kings’ squad in the inaugural edition of the marquee league.

James Vince is one of the top batters in the history of the league, standing 23rd in the list of the leading run-scorers with 952 runs in 36 matches at an average of 28. He scored at a marvellous strike rate of 140 and has struck four half-centuries in his PSL career.

The top-order Englishman boast vast experience in the T20 format, having played 371 matches. He has 10,237 runs to his name, coming at an average of 31.27 and a strike rate of 135. He also smashed five centuries and 65 fifties.

Karachi Kings Squad for HBL PSL 9: Shan Masood (c), Kieron Pollard, Daniel Sams, Mohammad Nawaz, Tim Siefert/Fawad Ali, James Vince, Hasan Ali, Shoaib Malik, Tabraiz Shamis, Mohammad Amir Khan, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Mir Hamza, Muhammad Akhlaq, Muhammad Irfan Niazi, Sirajuddin, Saad Baig, and Blessing Muzarabani, Zahid Mehmood, Leus De Plooy, Mohammad Rohid.

READ: Roy, Shakeel help Quetta Gladiators ease past Peshawar Zalmi

LAHORE: Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel’s tremendous opening stand propelled Quetta Gladiators to register a sixteen-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi in their opening Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 match at Gaddafi Stadium.

Set to chase 207, Peshawar Zalmi’s captain Babar Azam and Saim Ayub came out all guns blazing as they raised 70 runs in the powerplay.

However, their progress was halted by a mixup between the batters in the ninth over, resulting in Ayub’s run-out, which proved to be the turning point.

Ayub scored a quick 42 runs from 26 balls, which featured three sixes and two boundaries.

Akeal Hosein then removed Mohammad Haris to reduce Zalmi to 108-2 in 10.2 overs before Tom Kohler-Cadmore joined hands with Azam for a 39-run stand.

Azam played a 68-run knock in 42 balls with the help of four boundaries and four sixes. He fell prey to Abrar Ahmed in the 16th over with 147 runs on the board.

Kohler-Cadmore also fell in the same over after scoring run-a-ball 18 runs, leaving Zalmis to chase 57 off 26.

Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers did not allow the batters to regain momentum and reduced them to 182-5 in 19 overs, requiring 25 off the last over.

Mohammad Wasim’s last over conceded seven runs only, handing the Gladiators a 16-run win, with Abrar Ahmed leading the bowling with 2-29.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Amir, Hosein and Wasim bagged one wicket each.

Prior to that, Quetta Gladiators were invited to bat first and their new opening pair of Jason Roy and Saud Shakeel started their PSL 9 campaign brilliantly.

Roy hit Luke Wood for the four on the first ball to kick things off before Shakeel also hit a boundary to get runs from the first over.

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Shakeel was almost dismissed in the next over as Saim Ayub caught a low catch at backward point, but the third-umpire declined the appeal, giving the left-hand batter a lifeline.

Both batters gained momentum gradually and turned the game on its head with regular boundaries to reach the 100-run mark in ten overs.

Roy raised his half-century in 33 balls with a six over deep midwicket off Dan Mousley, meanwhile, Shakeel reached the landmark in 36 balls.

They continued the onslaught but Wood finally broke the 157-run partnership as Shakeel ballooned the ball in the air, only to be caught by Babar Azam at mid-on.

Shakeel departed after scoring a brilliant 74 off 47, laced with ten boundaries, which included four sixes as well.

Gladiators’ skipper Rilee Rossouw joined the party and hit the six off the first ball, followed by a boundary two balls later, but Mohammad Zeeshan castled him in the next over to end his brief stay.

Roy was departed by Salman Irshad in the 18th over with 185 runs on the board after playing a clinical knock of 75 runs from 48 balls, featuring nine boundaries and two sixes.

Sherfane Rutherford played a 20-run cameo off 13 balls before getting out in the last over, followed by Mohammad Wasim who scored a boundary and departed on the next ball.

Khawaja Nafay (6) hit the last ball for four to lift the team’s total to 206 in their allocated 20 overs.

Irshad led the bowling charts for the Peshawar Zalmi with figures of 3-38, while Wood and Zeeshan contributed with one wicket each.

READ: Ravichandran Ashwin set to rejoin team in ongoing England Test: BCCI

LAHORE: Peshawar Zalmi have won the toss and elected to field first against Quetta Gladiators in the second match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 at Gaddafi Stadium.

PLAYING XIs

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 21, Peshawar Zalmi 12, Quetta Gladiators 9

READ: MI Emirates crush Dubai Capitals to win ILT20 2024

LAHORE: An astounding third-wicket partnership between Shadab Khan and Salman Ali Agha steered Islamabad United to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over holders Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 opener.

Set to chase 196, the United comfortably chased down the target for the loss of just three wickets and 10 balls to spare, courtesy of Shadab and Agha’s unbeaten half-centuries.

The visitors had a decent start to their run chase and Alex Hales-led opening stand yielded 41 runs.

But Colin Munro’s dismissal in the fifth over halted the flow of runs for the United and Hales, as a result, made desperate attempts to go big until he fell victim to youngster Salman Fayyaz in the eighth over.

He scored 36 off 28 deliveries, laced up with five boundaries and a six.

Agha then joined his skipper Shadab in the middle with the scoreboard reading 62/2 in 7.2 overs.

The pair, unfazed by a slow start, soon took the game away from the hosts with strike rotation and punishing the bad deliveries.

Shadab and Agha added 138 runs for the third wicket and guided the United over the line in the penultimate over when the former heaved Fayyaz for a six over the long-on.

Shadab top-scored for the United with a 41-ball 74 that featured six boundaries and five sixes while Agha made 64 in just 31 balls, hitting seven boundaries and three sixes.

For the Qalandars, Zaman Khan and Fayyaz could pick up a wicket apiece.

Put into bat first, the Qalandars had a flying start to their innings, courtesy of a solid opening partnership between Farhan and Fakhar Zaman.

Farhan dominated the majority of the opening stand, scoring 70 per cent of the runs by scoring boundaries at regular intervals.

Meanwhile, Fakhar, who was finding it hard to keep going, perished in the seventh over after a run-a-ball 13.

But Farhan kept going and dominated the United bowlers and brought up his maiden PSL half-century in just 29 deliveries.

He smashed eight boundaries and a six on his way to a 36-ball 57 before falling victim to Tymal Mills in the 11th over.

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Following his departure, Abdullah Shafique and Rassie van der Dussen took charge of Qalandar’s batting expedition.

The pair made sure to retain the momentum, provided by Sahibzada Farhan, stitching a 73-run partnership for the third wicket which came off just 42 deliveries.

With Shafique and van der Dussen piling runs, the Qalandars appeared in complete control to breach the 200-run barrier but Mills once again provided the breakthrough to the United by castling the former in the 18th over.

Shafique scored 28 off 22 deliveries with the help of three sixes.

Rassie van der Dussen carried his bat all the way through and bolstered the Qalandars’ total at the backend with clean hitting. He remained unbeaten on 71 off just 41 deliveries, hitting four boundaries and three sixes.

Mills led the bowling attack for the United in their PSL 9 campaign opener with 2/45, followed by Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah, who bagged one apiece.

READ: ‘Big fan’ Vivian Richards pins high hopes on Sarfaraz Ahmed

Former West Indies batting icon and mentor of Quetta Gladiators Sir Vivian Richards expressed high hopes for wicketkeeper batter Sarfaraz Ahmed to ‘prove his worth’ in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9.

Richards, while interacting with the media after joining the Gladiators’ camp ahead of their campaign opener against Peshawar Zalmi, commented on a shift in the 2019 champions’ leadership and asserted that it would ease the pressure from Sarfaraz.

“I’m a big fan of Sarfaraz Ahmed. I’m sure the appointment of a new captain will take the pressure off Sarfaraz. I have asked him to prove his worth with the bat in PSL 9,” stated Richards.

The legend of the game also acknowledged the team’s recent struggles and termed the change a need of the hour.

“Quetta has not been able to do well over the past few years which is why the changes could be good for the side. I think we have formed a good team for PSL 9,” he said.

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Sir Vivian Richards also commented on the “classy” inclusion of Mohammad Amir to Quetta Gladiators and showered praise on the experienced left-arm pacer.

“I have always praised Mohammad Amir and I’m happy to see him play for Quetta Gladiators. Amir will be a classy inclusion for Quetta,” Richards said.

The Gladiators’ mentor, however, refrained from drawing a comparison between Amir and Naseem Shah’s pace and instead emphasized on experience the former possesses.

“I don’t know if Amir will have pace similar to Naseem Shah but we are happy that an experienced player is part of the side,” he further added.

It is worth mentioning here that Quetta Gladiators will play under a new captain this season as Rilee Rossouw took the reigns from Sarfaraz Ahmed, who led the side for eight seasons.

READ: Hasaranga claims Sri Lanka has ‘one of the best bowling’ attacks in world

LAHORE: Two-time champions Islamabad United have won the toss and elected to bat first in the curtain-raiser of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 against Lahore Qalandars.

PLAYING XIs

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Rassie van der Dussen, Abdullah Shafique, Lorcan Tucker, Salman Fayyaz, David Wiese, Jahandad Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan.

Islamabad United: Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan, Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Tymal Mills, Ubaid Shah.

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches 17, Islamabad United 9, Lahore Qalandars 8

READ: Wait ends as PSL 9 glittering opening ceremony kicks off