Rutherford, Roy edge Karachi in last-ball thriller

KARACHI: The West Indian duo of Sherfane Rutherford and Akeal Hosein shared a spectacular partnership for the sixth wicket to hand Quetta Gladiators a stunning last-ball victory against Karachi Kings in a HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) thriller here at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday night.

Quetta were struggling at 89-5 in 12.1 overs, chasing 166 to win, when Rutherford and Hosein put on 80 off 47 to steal a morale-boosting triumph.

Rutherford was Quetta’s hero as he smashed six sixes and a four in his match-winning 31-ball 58 that snatched a win for his side. Hosein was unbeaten on 22 from 17.

Needing 15 from the last over, Rutherford hit two sixes off Anwar Ali and then stole an extra run off a dropped catch to take his side past the finish line. Before the duo, it was opener Jason Roy who hit 52 off 31 balls with four sixes to set up the chase with fellow opener Saud Shakeel (24).

While it celebration time for Quetta, Karachi will need to go back to the drawing board after Shan Masood and his men crashed to a second defeat in 24 hours at home. After getting comfortably beaten by Islamabad United on Wednesday, Karachi were floored by Quetta Gladiators by five wickets in the eagerly-anticipated PSL clash.

The Kings were contained by Gladiators’ attack to 165-8 with spinners Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq bowling impressively on a low and slow wicket. The Kings then allowed Gladiators to make a flying start after letting both openers -- Roy and Saud -- off the hook through slopping catching.

For the second time in about 24 hours, the Kings were put into bat in front of their home fans. And for the second time, they failed to put up a winning total. The Kings were never really in control after losing skipper Shan (2) cheaply in the very first over. Wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert smashed a quickfire 21 off 11 balls with a six and two fours but became the first of off-spinner Usman Tariq’s two victims. He put on 59 with James Vince for the second wicket.

Shoaib Malik’s lean patch continued as he struggled in a 20-ball 12 and was unable to hit a single boundary. Vince top-scored with 37 off 25 balls with the help of four hits to the fence. He was also trapped LBW by Usman, who took 2-16 from his four overs.

Kieron Pollard made 13 off 10 and in the end it was the duo of Mohammad Nawaz (28* off 19) and Irfan Khan (15 off 10) who set Kings up for a fighting total before an entertaining cameo of 25 off 10 with a six and two fours helped Kings end their innings at 165-8.