Karachi Kings record third consecutive victory

DUBAI: Karachi Kings sank their claws into the top spot of PSL 2018 points table after beating Lahore Qalandars by 27 runs to post their third consecutive victory in the eighth match of PSL at the Dubai International Stadium here Monday.

Karachi are the only team with a perfect record in the PSL 2018 so far, maintaining their undefeated streak to lead the points table.While batting first after winning the toss, Karachi Kings set 160-run for Lahore Qalandars as Ravi Bopara smashed an unbeaten fifty to steer them to a good total. Whereas Qalandars fall short by 27 runs to 132.

Lahore Qalandars seemed to overturn their poor start in the tournament, only to falter in a chase of 160 that had been set up by a Powerplay where they scored 68 runs.McCullum’s 44 runs also went in vain, as the man of the match Shahid Afridi who took three wickets and put Qalandars under enough pressure to restrict them to 132 runs.

McCullum was the only one who played a sensible inning, adding 44 to Lahore’s 132.The stunning moment of the match came when Denly leapt to his right taking the one of the best catches of the tournament at backward point.

Captain Imad Wasim also supported his team with the ball taking a crucial breakthrough. Karachi Kings had made one change, bringing in Usman Khan Shinwari to replace the injured Mohammad Amir.

The Qalandars had made three changes in their team as Sohail Khan, Dinesh Ramdin and Agha Salman replaced Gulraiz Sadaf, Raza Hasan and Cameron Delport. Scores in brief: Karachi Kings 159-7 (R Bopara 50 not out, J Denly 28, C Ingram 28, Mohammad Irfan 16 not out; S Narine 2-18, Yasir Shah 2-25, Sohail Khan 2-45). Lahore Qalandars 132 all out in 18.3 overs (B McCullum 44, Fakhar Zaman 19, Agha Salman 15; Usman Khan 3-26, T Mills 2-33, Mohammad Irfan 1-17, Imad Wasim 1-25). Result: Karachi Kings won by 27 runs.

Points Table

Tabulated under as played, won, lost, points, net run-rate:

Karachi Kings 3 3 0 6 0.875

Multan Sultans 3 2 1 4 0.498

Quetta Gladiators 2 1 1 2 0.653

Peshawar Zalmi 3 1 2 2 0.342

Islamabad United 2 1 1 2 -0.349

Lahore Qalandars 3 0 3 0 -2.031