Rawalpindi: Martin Guptill smashed an unbeaten 86 as Quetta Gladiators broke its five-match losing streak after beating Karachi Kings by four wickets in the Pakistan Super League on Monday.
Guptill cut loose in the last four overs to steer Quetta to 168-6 in reply to Karachi’s 164-6.
The New Zealander combined for 95 with captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who made 29 before getting run out in the last over.
Karachi and Quetta still occupy the last two spots in the six-team league.
Quetta’s chase was stalling at 63-5 after Tabraiz Shamsi’s left-arm spin put a stranglehold on the middle overs.
But Guptill, who scored a century against Karachi in Quetta’s only other win, and Safaraz came to the rescue. In his 56-ball knock, Guptill hit nine fours and four sixes.
Half century
He smacked fast bowler James Fuller for 24 runs in the 17th over with two sixes and three fours, and raised his half-century off 44 balls.
Guptill was dropped on 74 at deep midwicket by Tayyab Tahir off Mohammad Musa.
Mohammad Amir conceded 11 runs in the penultimate over, and the target was brought down to 8 in the final over.
Sarfaraz was run out while going for a tight single off Aamer Yamin, then South African Dwaine Pretorius, playing his first game, smashed two boundaries to complete Quetta’s second win.
Karachi’s total came off the back of opening batter Adam Rossington’s 69 off 45 balls and unbeaten cameos from captain Imad Wasim (30) and Yamin (23).
Fast bowler Naseem Shah collected 2-31 and young fast bowler Aimal Khan 2-26.
