Lahore Qalandars registered their first win on the board in the 2019 Pakistan Super League (PSL) with a 22-run victory over Karachi Kings at Dubai.
In a day of low-scoring encounters in the PSL, the Qalandars put up 138-6 with the bat before bowling out the Kings for 116 runs.
Lahore Qalandars openers Fakhar Zaman and Sohail Akhtar started well with the latter being the primary aggressor in a 64-run stand for the first wicket. Fakhar, meanwhile, was unusually subdued in a knock which went at less than run-a-ball.
Karachi Kings youngster Umer Khan provided the first breakthrough by dismissing a well-set Sohail for 39 (25) before Sikander Raza had Fakhar caught behind.
Lahore Qalandars star man AB de Villiers’ stay at the crease was a short-lived one with the South African ace becoming Umer’s second victim of the night while attempting a leg-side slog.
Anton Devcich attempted to resurrect the Lahore innings but the New Zealand batsman was scratchy and struggled to time the ball well on a slow surface. Lahore skipper Mohammad Hafeez and Brendan Taylor were both run-out in the death overs before Mohammad Amir brought an end to Devcich’s agony in the penultimate over.
Karachi’s formidable batting unit would have relished the prospect of a 139-run given the way Lahore had started with the bat. However, Liam Livingstone was unable to repeat his heroics against Multan Sultans with Shaheen Afridi taking out the Englishman’s stumps in the very second over of the chase.
Shaheen Shah Afridi now has eight wickets in his #HBLPSL career. Liam Livingstone was the fifth of his eight victims to be out 'bowled'. #LQvKK pic.twitter.com/sqni9UOcJI
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 16, 2019
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan found the going tough on a slow wicket with Lahore’s bowlers restricting Karachi 60-1 at the end of 11 overs. South African pacer Hardus Viljoen then tipped the scales in Lahore’s favour by castling Babar’s stumps.
Colin Ingram briefly threatened to put on the late fireworks but the impressive Shaheen Afridi returned to dislodge the South Africa’s stumps.
Things went from bad to worse for Karachi in the next over after a brief rain interruption with young Haris Rauf removing Ravi Bopara and Rizwan in the space of three deliveries.
Karachi skipper Imad Wasim delivered some much-needed big blows with the bat for his side but once he and Sohail Khan fell to Rauf off consecutive deliveries in the penultimate over, the writing was on the wall.
Rahat Ali then picked up three wickets in the final over as Karachi failed to bat out their quota of 20 overs.
BRIEF SCORES
Lahore Qalandars: 138-6 (20 overs)
Sohail Akhtar: 39 (25)
Umer Khan: 2-25 (four overs)
Karachi Kings: 116 all out (19.5 overs)
Haris Rauf: 4-23 (four overs)
Shaheen Afridi: 2-20 (four overs)
