Dubai: Quetta Gladiators sailed past Karachi Kings with a six-wicket win to become the first team to clinch a place in the play-off stages of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Stadium.
Quetta restricted Karachi to 154 for 6 in 20 overs and through their openers Asad Shafiq (51) Ahmad Shehzad (54) putting on 105 runs in 12.1 overs registered an easy win with six balls to spare.
Quetta won the toss and as expected elected to field. Karachi openers Kumar Sangakkara and Babar Azam put on 50 runs in the first six overs. They registered a 63 runs partnership in 7.5 overs before Sangakkara fell for 28, stumped by Sarfraz Ahmad off Mohammad Mahmudullah while stepping out to hit and missing the line.
Chris Gayle joined Azam and began slowly picking singles. Mahmudullah also removed a well set Azam for 36 made off 37 balls with four boundaries. Azam whipped a well tossed up delivery and Hasan Khan at deep-square took a spectacular tumbling catch.
Consistent Shoaib Malek lasted only nine balls to score nine runs before becoming Mahmudullah’s third victim by playing into the hands of Hasan at deep square.
By the 15th Karachi had scored only 98 runs losing three wickets. In the 16th over, Gayle hit a six, the shot people had been waiting from him, off Mir Hamza over long on. He put on 37 runs with Kieron Pollard in 4.3 overs before pulling Anwar Ali to Hasan deep mid-wicket. Gayle scored 29 runs from 34 balls.
Ravi Bopara lasted one ball to score two runs and in the last over Pollard too fell for 31 made off 19 balls.
Chasing the moderate total Quetta got off to a good start through their openers Asad Shafiq and Ahmad Shehzad. In the eighth over, Shehzad lifted leg spinner Usama Mir’s second delivery for a six over long on and also cut the next ball nicely between point and third man for a boundary. Mir’s third delivery was pulled for a boundary and fourth he hit over long on. Twenty-two runs came off that over.
Shehzad also hit Imad Wasim for another six over the bowler’s head. Shafiq too kept the score board moving briskly picking the gaps. In the last ten overs, Quetta needed only 61 runs with all wickets intact. Shehzad reached his half century in 34 balls.
Sohail Khan gave the breakthrough in the 13th over dismissing Shehzad, who went for a pull and top edged to Kieron Pollard at deep fine leg for 54. Shafiq too reached his half century off the second ball of the 13th over pulling Khan for a six. Off the fourth ball of the same over, Kevin Pietersen got run out to a direct hit from Imad Wasim for a duck. The eventful 13th over ended with Shafiq falling to Sohail while going for a hook and getting caught by Mohammad Amir at deep square for 51.
Though next man Rilee Roussouw fell in 18th over, Sarfraz Ahmad and Mahmudullah steered the team to the target.
Brief scores
Quetta Gladiators bt Karachi Kings by six wickets. Karachi Kings 154 for 6 in 20 overs (Babar Azam 36, Kumar Sangakkara 28, Chris Gayle 29, Kieron Pollard 31, Anwar Ali 2 for 30, Mohammad Mahmudullah 3 for 21). Quetta Gladiators 158 for 4 in 19 overs (Asad Shafiq 51, Ahmad Shehzad 54, Sohail Khan 2 for 28). Man of the match: Mohammad Mahmudullah
