Karachi Kings got back to winning ways with a superb all-round effort in their 63-run win over Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League. Mickey Arthur’s side had plenty of players who stepped up and none more so than Joe Denly, who smashed his first half-century.
Here, we analyse his performance at Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.
STATISTICS
RUNS: 78
BALLS: 55
FOURS: 10
SIXES: 2
STRIKE-RATE: 141.81
SIX! 10.4 Hardus Viljoen to Joe Denly
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 10, 2018
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/0U1go038Vz#MSvKK #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/HBq98KtJPs
30-SECOND REPORT
He failed to reach double figures in his previous two matches, but Denly was on the top of his game on Saturday. He survived a dropped catch and made Multan Sultans pay . Smashed 10 fours and two sixes during a 118-run stand with Babar Azam for the second wicket. That ultimately put Karachi in a strong position.
GOT RIGHT
At a time when his team needed a positive result after two losses, Denly delivered.With Lendl Simmons dismissed early on, Denly was cautious but then upped his game. It was timely knock from the English batsmen whose top score this year was 29.
GOT WRONG
OUT! 16.6 Kieron Pollard to Joe Denly
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 10, 2018
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/0U1go038Vz#MSvKK #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/6FyByxK2gV
Denly could have batted on if he had tackled Hardus Viljoen’s short ball better. Fetching it from outside off, Denly ended up dragging the ball, presenting a simple catch to Imran Tahir at square leg.
VERDICT: 8/10
Coming into the game with two poor performances, Denly could not afford another batting failure and he delivered a match-winning innings. Similar knocks will be needed if Karachi are to go all the way.