Qalandars set low target for Kings

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars set a 135-run target for Karachi Kings in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2020 here at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

This was the lowest total in the PSL finals history for a team batting first.

Tamim Iqbal (35) and Fakhar Zaman (27) provided a decent start to enable Lahore Qalandars to pile-up 134-7 on a double-paced track on which the batsmen found it difficult to time the ball.

In response, till filing of the story, Karachi Kings were 40-1 in the sixth over with Sharjeel Khan falling for 13 off 12 balls, having hit two fours.

After opting to bat first, the left-handed openers Fakhar (27) and Tamim (35) provided a 68-run opening stand to Lahore Qalandars. However at that stage Karachi Kings turned things around when they took three quick wickets inside seven deliveries to bring the visitors under immense pressure as they were left reeling at 70-3 in 11.1 overs.

Umaid Asif provided the much-needed breakthrough to Karachi Kings when he got rid of Tamim Iqbal who was held in the deep by Iftikhar Ahmed. Tamim, the Bangladeshi cricketer, hit one six and four fours in his 38-ball knock.

In the same over, Umaid also removed Fakhar, also held by Iftikhar to leave Lahore at 69-2 in 10.4 overs. Fakhar smashed four fours in his 24-ball feat.

Off the first ball of the next over, Imad Wasim claimed the crucial wicket of Mohammad Hafeez (2), held by Babar Azam. Hafeez faced just four balls. Hafeez had been promoted in the batting order by skipper Sohail Akhtar who used to bat at No3 in the previous matches.

In order to score some quick runs Samit Patel was promoted but he was undone by Arshad Iqbal, having managed only five off eight deliveries. And Lahore were gasping at 81-4 in the 14th over.

Arshad then got the crucial wicket of Ben Dunk who once again failed to contribute big, falling for 11. The Australian left-hander smashed one four from 14 deliveries.

In the 19th over, left-armer Waqas Maqsood got rid of Lahore’s skipper Sohail Akhtar who was superbly caught in the deep by Sherfane Rutheford. Sohail struck one four in his run-a-ball 14. Lahore were in deep trouble at 110-6. In the same over Waqas then had Mohammad Faizan (0). Shaheen Afridi then struck 12 not out off four balls with one four, taking Lahore to 134-7.

David Wiese remained not out on run-a-ball 14 with one four.

Lahore’s fifty came off 45 balls and 100 off 97 deliveries.

Waqas Maqsood (2-18 in 4), Arshad Iqbal (2-24 in 4) and Umaid Asif (2-18 in 4) bowled well.

Mohammad Amir remained the most expensive bowlers who remained wicketless, conceding 38 runs in four overs.