Sangakkara heroics go in vain as Lahore pip Karachi

By our correspondents

February 18, 2017

SHARJAH: Big names failed to lift Karachi Kings in the inaugural HBL Pakistan Super League last year. The sad script continued for the richest franchise of the Twenty20 league in Sharjah on Thursday night when the star-studded Kings succumbed to Lahore Qalandars.

The likes of Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Shoaib Malik and Ravi Bopara failed to lift the Kings even as skipper Kumar Sangakkara made a heroic effort to take his side past the finish line.

Sangakkara hit a 45-ball 65 but once he fell, the Kings were unable to stay on course in their chase of 180.

The Kings looked uncomfortable from the start, with the beleaguered Chris Gayle holing out to long-off in the second over of the chase bowled by Sunil Narine. Their challenge, in truth, lasted for the duration of the 101-run third-wicket partnership between Sangakarra and Shoaib Malik. When the pair fell within five balls of each other, the chase swiftly faded.

The star for Lahore was the 26-year-old left-hander Fakhar Zaman who hit five fours and three sixes in his 36-ball 56.

Lahore’s captain McCullum’s lean run continued, as he dragged a straight delivery on for a second successive duck, but the rest of the batsmen demonstrated that the horror innings against Peshawar Zalmi, where they were bowled out for 59, had not dissuaded them from going for their shots. Fakhar Zaman and Jason Roy shrugged off their captain’s departure to plunder 57 runs by the sixth over.

Zaman barely noticed Roy’s dismissal, or indeed the end of the Powerplay, as he and Umar Akmal continued to swing from the hip. Karachi did not help themselves, dropping a pair of fairly routine catches that would have sent the pair packing earlier. By the end of the 13th over, Lahore were 125 for 4, and looked set for 200, and while they didn’t quite manage that, their final score of 179 was good in the end anyway. The abiding memory of this game will undoubtedly be the century stand between Malik and Sangakarra, boasting a combined age of 74. Sangakarra’s lofted cover drive, in particular, is a shot worth the clichéd admission fee on its own. On consecutive deliveries off the unfortunate Yasir Shah in the thirteenth over, he showcased both his finesse and destructive power, timing the first over extra cover for four. Yasir went straighter next ball, but was still brave enough to flight the ball generously. Fortune didn’t favour him, as Sangakkara slog-swept him — still gracefully, somehow — onto the Sharjah roof. It might not have been decisive, but it was certainly delightful.

Lahore’s up-and-down season continues, with McCullum’s men managing two wins and two losses. They have four points, and sit fourth in the table on net run rate. Karachi are yet to manage a win in their three games.

Score Board

Karachi Kings won toss

Lahore Qalandars

J J Roy b Sohail 26

*B B McCullum b Imad 0

Fakhar Zaman c Usman b Usama 56

Umar Akmal c Bopara b Usama 25

†M Rizwan lbw b Sohail 29

G D Elliott c Sangakkara b Amir 17

S P Narine c Bopara b Amir 13

Sohail Tanvir not out 3

M Irfan (4) run out 1