Dubai: Kieron Pollard carried Karachi Kings from the jaws of defeat to a stunning five-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in the 18th match of the Pakistan Super League at the Dubai International stadium.

Pollard’s unbeaten 45 off just 20 balls with four sixes and one boundary and his unconquered 55 runs partnership in the last 4.4 overs with Imad Wasim (19n.o) helped Karachi stay in the race for play-off.

Needing 14 runs off the last over, Pollard hit the last two balls for successive sixes off Aamer Yamin. No one expected Karachi to win when they needed 37 runs off 18 balls.

Lahore Qalandars had posted a challenging 155 for six, thanks to a determined unbeaten 55 run partnership in the last 5.3 overs from top scorer Mohammad Rizwan (32 n.o.) and Sohail Tanvir (22n.o.) after their skipper and opener Brendon McCullum showed the way through a quick 31. They fielded brilliantly - running out three of Karachi’s star batsmen: Mahela Jayawardene, Ravi Bopara and Shoaib Malek. Babar Azam’s fighting knock of 49 looked like going in vain when Pollard changed the script of the match through a match winning knock.

Karachi had won the toss and elected to field. The match got off to a sensational start with Karachi skipper and wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, at the age of 39, producing a flying catch to his right to dismiss Lahore opener Cameron Delport off the fifth ball of the first over from Mohammad Amir. Delport, going for a hook, gloved the ball to the agile wicketkeeper.

Fakhar Zaman added 36 runs with his skipper McCullum before slapping Sohail Khan into the hands of Imad Wasim at backward point for 19. McCullum too fell in the tenth over from leg spinner Usama Mir. Going for a slog sweep, McCullum landed up being caught by Babar Azam at long on for 31.

At the half way mark, Lahore were 71 for 3 with Umar Akmal and Sunil Narine at the crease.

In the 12th over Akmal hit Mir for two sixes, both over long on. Narine lasted only nine balls to hit 16runs before top edging Malek to Imad Wasim at point. Akmal too quickly followed when he slog swept Mir and top edged to Babar Azam at long on for 20. When Grant Elliott too became a Malek victim, Lahore slipped to 100 for 6 in 14.3 overs. Tanvir and Rizwan then swelled the total.

Chasing the score Jayawardene, who came in the place of an out of form Chris Gayle, who was dropped, opened with Azam. The pair played some delightful shots, picking the gaps and put on 27 runs in three overs before Jayawardene got run out off a direct hit by wicketkeeper Rizwan while attempting a cheeky single.

Sangakkara and Azam took the score to 74 for 1 in 10 overs. Azam hit three boundaries in one over from Grant Elliott. The pair put on 53 runs in 8.2 overs before Sangakkara cut hard into the hands of Aamer Yamin at backward point for 20. Azam who was stroking well fell one run short of his half century hitting to Umar Akmal at long off. The fall of wickets increased the required run rate to 10 runs per over.

The onus of lifting Karachi fell on Shoaib Malek and Ravi Bopara. Substitute Zafar Gohar through a direct hit from point ran out Bopara for 2. When Malek too got run out for 6, through a direct hit from Yamin, Karachi’s challenge almost came to an end before Pollard and Wasim rose to the occasion.

Brief scores: Karachi Kings bt Lahore Qalandars by five wickets.

Lahore Qalandars 155 for six in 20 overs (Brendon McCullum 31, Umar Akmal 20, Mohammad Rizwan 31n.o, Sohail Tanvir 22n.o, Usama Mir 2 for 38, Shoaib Malek 2 for 21) vs Karachi Kings 158 for five in 20 overs (Babar Azam 49, Kumar Sangakkara 20, Kieron Pollard 45n.o) Man of the Match: Kieron Pollard.

Tomorrow match: 8pm: Islamabad United vs Karachi Kings at Dubai International stadium.