RAWALPINDI – Karachi Kings thrashed Quetta Gladiators by seven wickets in the 22nd Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 9 match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.
Chasing a below-par target of 119 runs for victory, the Kings crossed the finishing line with seven wickets and 4.3 overs to spare. Tim Seifert was the top scorer with 49 runs followed by veteran Shoaib Malik and James Vince who made 27 runs each. Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Amir and Akeal Hosein bagged one wicket each. Hasan Ali was named player of the match.
After being asked to bat first by Kings skipper Shan Masood, Gladiators lost the key wicket of Jason Roy in the third over. Saud Shakeel and Khawaja Nafay steadied the ship by stitching a 47-run partnership. After that, the Gladiators kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were all out at 118 in 19.1 overs. Saud Shakeel was the top scorer with 33 runs followed by Khawaja Nafay who made 17. Jason Roy scored 15 runs, Akeal Hosein 14 and skipper Rilee Rossouw 10 runs. No other batter could enter the double figures. Hasan Ali bagged four wickets, and Zahid Mehmood and Blessing Muzarabani two each while Mir Hamza took one wicket.
Karachi Kings Playing XI: Shan Masood (c), Tim Seifert (wk), James Vince, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Zahid Mahmood, Blessing Muzarabani
Quetta Gladiators: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw (c), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Akeal Hosein, Usman Tariq, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Amir, Abrar Ahmed
