Pollard’s last-ball six keeps Kings alive

DUBAI: Two stunning sixes off the last two balls. That’s how Kieron Pollard kept the hopes of Karachi Kings alive in HBL Pakistan Super League with a spectacular five-wicket against Lahore Qalandars here at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.

In yet another thriller that came less than 24 hours after Islamabad United came back from the dead to beat Quetta Gladiators by 1 run, Karachi lived to fight another day thanks to Pollard, who finally woke up after managing just 84 runs from his previous five PSL outings.

It was a must-win match for Karachi, who were almost out after seemingly losing the plot in their chase of 156.

With ten runs needed off the last two balls and pacer Aamer Yamin bowling with a lot of gusto, it seemed that Karachi will have to suffer the ignominy of ending up as the only team to miss out on the playoffs.

But the big-hitting Trinidadian finally came to the PSL party hitting Yamin to successive sixes off the last two balls. Treated to an over-pitched delivery, he hit the fifth one cleanly over the long-off boundary while the last one sailed over square leg to seal a memorable win for Karachi.

Babar Azam was the top scorer for Karachi with 49 off 42 balls that included seven fours. But the man who won the match for Karachi was Pollard, who smashed four sixes and a four in his unbeaten 42 that came off just 20 balls.

The result means that unless Karachi lose to Islamabad United in their last game on Sunday night by a big margin, Lahore are out of the contest. If this happens it will be the second time that Lahore will have to face this embarrassment.

Lahore recovered from a false start after being asked to bat first by Kumar Sangakkara in what was a do-or-die encounter for both teams. At one stage, Lahore were gasping at 100-6 despite getting a solid start thanks to a 28-ball 31 by captain Brendon McCullum.

Mohammad Rizwan (32) and Sohail Tanvir (22) gave their team’s total some respectability as they put on 55 off 33 balls in an unbroken stand for the 7th wicket. Karachi’s spin duo of Shoaib Malik (2-21) and Usama Mir (2-31) were the top performers with the ball.

In an expected move, Karachi dropped their misfiring star Chris Gayle from the playing line-up after his below-par showing in the tournament so far.

Score Board

Karachi Kings won toss

Lahore Qalandars innings

C S Delport c Sangakkara b Amir    3

*B B McCullum c Babar b Usama     31

Fakhar Zaman c Imad b Sohail       19

Umar Akmal c Babar b Usama        20

S P Narine c Imad b Shoaib  16

G D Elliott c Usman b Shoaib 2

†M Rizwan not out    32

Sohail Tanvir not out 22

Extras (lb 2, w 8)     10

Total (6 wickets; 20 overs)  155

Did not bat: Aamer Yamin, Yasir Shah,
M Irfan (4)

Fall: 1-4, 2-40, 3-71, 4-93, 5-94, 6-100

Bowling: Amir 4-0-30-1 (1w); Imad 2-0-12-0; Sohail 3-0-28-1 (2w); Usman 3-0-24-0; Usama 4-0-38-2; Shoaib 4-0-21-2 (1w)

Karachi Kings innings

Babar Azam c Umar b Fakhar        49

D P M D Jayawardene run out        10

*†K C Sangakkara c Aamer b Narine         20

Shoaib Malik run out  6

R S Bopara run out   2

Imad Wasim not out  19

K A Pollard not out    45

Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 5)         7

Total (5 wickets; 20 overs)  158

Did not bat: Sohail Khan, M Amir, Usama Mir, Usman Khan

Fall: 1-27, 2-80, 3-84, 4-89, 5-103

Bowling: Sohail 4-0-40-0 (1w); Aamer 4-0-39-0; Narine 4-0-19-1 (3w); Irfan (4) 1-0-8-0; Yasir 4-0-20-0; Elliott 1-0-14-0; Fakhar 1-0-3-1; McCullum 1-0-13-0 (1w)

Result: Karachi Kings won by 5 wickets

Man of the Match: K A Pollard (Karachi Kings)

Points: Karachi Kings 2, Lahore Qalandars 0

Umpires: R E J Martinesz (Sri Lanka) and Shozab Raza (Pakistan). TV umpire: Rashid Riaz (Pakistan). Match referee: M Anees (Pakistan)