Niazi’s heroics seal last-over win for Kings in rain-hit clash against Qalandars

Irfan Niazi produced a clutch performance in the final over as Karachi Kings snatched a dramatic win against Lahore Qalandars in a rain-curtailed 15-over encounter during the 24th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday.

Chasing a revised 168-run target in 15 overs as per the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, the Kings knocked the winning runs for the loss of six wickets and three balls to spare.

The visitors got off to a flamboyant start to their innings as their opening pair of skipper David Warner and Tim Seifert put together a brisk 40-run partnership in just three overs.

Haris Rauf, however, broke the threatening stand on the first delivery of his spell by castling David Warner, who scored 24 off 13 deliveries with the help of two fours and as many sixes.

Seifert was then involved in a brief 17-run partnership with James Vince until Asif Afridi dismissed him in the fifth over.

The New Zealand international made a 10-ball 24, featuring four fours and a six.

Coming out to bat at number four, Saad Baig kept the Kings in the hunt with a brisk 25-run cameo from 15 deliveries, laced with three fours and a six.

He also shared two important partnerships with James Vince (13) and Muhammad Irfan Khan before falling victim to Daryl Mitchell.

The Kings then suffered another blow to their pursuit as Rauf struck again to dismiss Khushidl Shah (nine), bringing the total down to 116/5 in 11.2 overs.

With Kings needing 52 runs off 22 deliveries, Irfan turned the game on its head with belligerent hitting and steered the 2020 champions to a sensational victory with an unbeaten 48 off 21 deliveries, studded with two fours and five sixes.

He also shared a match-defining 45-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Nabi, who contributed with an eight-ball 15 before falling victim to Mitchell on the first delivery of the final over.

For Qalandars, Mitchell and Rauf bagged two wickets each, while Asif Afridi and Rishad Hossain made one strike apiece.

Earlier, fifties from Fakhar Zaman and Naeem Shah helped Lahore Qalandars pile up formidable 160 runs in just 15 overs against Karachi Kings, making full use of the shortened innings in their rain-affected clash. 

Put to bat first, Qalandars posted a competitive 160/8 in their allotted 15 overs after the match was shortened due to a rain delay of over an hour.

The Qalandars started aggressively, with openers Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman stitching together a blazing 90-run partnership within the first eight overs.

Naeem, the more dominant of the two, top-scored with a fiery 29-ball 65, which included six fours and five sixes, before falling to Aamir Jamal — who had earlier dropped him on 11.

Soon after Naeem’s dismissal, rain interrupted play and delayed proceedings for more than an hour, reducing the contest to 15 overs per side.

Once play resumed, Lahore attempted to regain momentum as Fakhar and Abdullah Shafique added 31 runs. Shafique contributed a quick 18 off 11 before falling to Abbas Afridi, who then removed Daryl Mitchell on the very next ball.

The Kings capitalised on the pressure, as Sam Billings departed cheaply, scoring just 2 off 3 against Mir Hamza.

Fakhar Zaman went on to score a solid 33-ball 51, featuring four boundaries and three sixes, before he and Sikandar Raza fell to Abbas in the penultimate over.

Abbas Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for Karachi Kings, claiming 4 for 27 in his three overs, while Aamir Jamal and Mir Hamza picked up a wicket each.

Earlier, Karachi Kings decided to bowl first after winning the toss against Lahore Qalandars.

Squads

Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Abbas Afridi, James Vince, Hasan Ali (VC), Khushdil Shah, Shan Masood, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Aamir Jamal, Arafat Minhas, Tim Seifert, Zahid Mahmood, Mir Hamza, Shahnawaz Dahani, Riazullah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Kane Williamson, Saad Baig, Mohammad Nabi, Mirza Mamoon and Ben McDermott.

Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Fakhar Zaman and Daryl Mitchell (all platinum), Haris Rauf, Sikandar Raza and Kusal Perera (all diamond), Abdullah Shafique, Jahandad Khan and Zaman Khan (all gold), David Wiese, Asif Ali, Asif Afridi, Muhammad Akhlaq and Rishad Hossain (all silver), Momin Qamar and Momin Azab (both emerging), Muhammad Naeem, Salman Ali Mirza and Tom Curran (all supplementary).