Bopara’s one-man show grabs win for Kings

SHARJAH: Ravi Bopara’s extra-ordinary all-round performance gave Karachi Kings their much needed victory in the 12th Twenty20 match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) here at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday.

First, he batted superbly to take his team to a big score of 178 for five in 20 overs, hitting an unbeaten 71 from 43 balls with four sixes and three fours. Then came to bowl and captured six wickets for just 16 runs, an excellent medium-pace bowling display.

Karachi Kings who were losing three successive matches after winning their first match, defeated Lahore Qalandars by 27 runs as Bopara restricted them to 151 for eight.

After an opening stand of 98 runs in eleven overs by Cameron Delport and Chris Gayle, no batsman could resist against Bopara’s accurate bowling. Delport scored 55runs off 39 balls with seven fours and two sixes while Gayle made 37 from 28 balls with three fours and two sixes.