Azam, Sarfaraz secure win for Quetta Gladiators

KARACHI: An 85-run partnership for the fourth-wicket between Sarfaraz Ahmed and Azam Khan secured a five-wicket win for Quetta Gladiators against Karachi Kings in the sixth HBL PSL 2020 fixture at Karachi’s National Stadium on Sunday, says a press release.

Defending champions Gladiators chased down the 157-run target with an over spare. Azam top-scored in the run chase with a 30-ball 46 and struck four fours and two sixes. He was declared player of the match for his match-defining innings.

Sarfaraz, the Gladiators captain, was not out on 37 which came off 28 balls.

With 27 off 20, which included two fours and two sixes, Shane Watson was the other notable run-getter.

Earlier, pacer Mohammad Hasnain took three wickets for 33 runs and Tymal Mills returned two for 30 which limited the home side to 156 for nine after Karachi Kings’ captain Imad Wasim elected to bat.

Iftikhar Ahmed, batting at six, struck two fours and six in his 25 off 18 towards the end of the innings to take his side to a competitive total.

Alex Hales, playing his first PSL match this season, was the top-scorer in Kings’ innings with a 27-ball 29, which included a four ad a six.

The second best performance, in terms of runs, came from Babar Azam who hit five fours in his 23-ball stay at the crease which brought him 26 runs.

Quetta Gladiators now have two wins this season and they travel to Rawal­pindi to take on Islamabad United in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Karachi Kings play Multan Sultans at the latter’s home on Friday.

Scores in brief: Karachi Kings 156-9, 20 overs (Alex Hales 29, Babar Azam 26, Iftikhar Ahmed 25; Mohammad Hasnain 3-33, Tymal Mills 2-30). Quetta Gladiators 157-5, 19 overs (Azam Khan 46, Sarfaraz Ahmed 37, Shane Watson 27).

Result: Quetta Gladiators win by five wickets.