Karachi Kings record easy 7-wkt win over Lahore Qalandars

DUBAI: In the second match of the Pakistan Super League, Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars by seven wickets here on Friday.

Shoaib Malik led the team well, leading from the front as he opened the bowling to dismiss dangerous batsman Chris Gayle in the very first over and finally hit a superb six to seal the win.

However, it was fast bowler Mohammad Amir who earlier, playing his first match in the event, performed a hat-trick to help Karachi Kings restrict Lahore Qalandars to 125 for eight in the allotted 20 overs.

Then, a 109-run third wicket partnership between Lndl Simmons and Shakib Al-Hasan made the chase easy after making a disastrous start, losing two early wickets for just four runs on the board.

Simmons remained not out on 62, facing 46 balls and hitting eight fours and two sixes while Shakib made 51 off 35 balls with three fours and as many sixes.

Earlier, Karachi Kings captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and put the opponents into bat. He removed star West Indian batsman Chris Gayle in the first over. Gayle was caught by England’s James Vince for six with a four.

Qalandar lost their second wicket on 37 when captain Azhar Ali was bowled by Shakib Al-Hasanfor 18. Later, Cameron Delport was run out on 17 when Qalandars were 54 in 9.4 overs.

Then, Imad Waseem got rid off of Sohaib Maqsood, who made 22 off 27 balls, and Qalandars were 80 for four in 14 overs.

In the 19th over, Amir played havoc with the ball dismissing Dwayne Bravo on the 2nd, Zohaib Khan on the 3rd and Kiwon Kooper on the 4th ball to become the first bowler in the PSL to claim a hat-trick.

Sohail Tanveer got the Qalandars’ eighth wicket in the final over of the innings when he clean bowled Mohammad Rizwan, who hit 37 off 31 balls.

In the end, Shakib Al-Hasan was named the Player of the Match for his all round performance in the match.