Lahore, February 24, 2024: In a heart-stopping encounter at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday night, Karachi Kings clinched their second victory of HBL PSL 9 by securing a nail-biting two-wicket win over the home team, Lahore Qalandars. The match went down to the wire with Karachi successfully chasing down a target of 176 runs on the final delivery of the game.
Batting first, Lahore Qalandars posted a competitive total of 175-6 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a shaky start, they managed to put up a challenging score, with Sahibzada Farhan leading the charge with an unbeaten 72 runs off 45 deliveries. His partnership with George Linde, who contributed a valuable 26 not out, propelled Lahore to a respectable total. However, Karachi’s bowling attack, led by Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, and Tabraiz Shamsi, managed to restrict Lahore’s batsmen to a manageable total.
In response, Karachi Kings faced early setbacks, losing four wickets within the powerplay. However, a resilient partnership between Kieron Pollard and Shoaib Malik turned the tide in Karachi’s favor. Pollard’s explosive innings, highlighted by a half-century, and Malik’s composed knock steadied Karachi’s innings as they approached the target.
With 11 runs needed off the final over, the tension reached its peak. Hasan Ali’s six on the first ball brought Karachi closer to victory, but Lahore fought back, claiming a crucial wicket on the penultimate delivery. However, Mir Hamza held his nerve, scoring the winning run off the final ball to seal a thrilling win for Karachi Kings.
Pollard outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award, showcasing his match-winning abilities under pressure.
With this victory, Karachi Kings continue their campaign in HBL PSL 9 with confidence, while Lahore Qalandars will look to bounce back from this narrow defeat in their upcoming fixtures
Tomorrow fixtures will see Quetta Gladiatos take on multan Sultans at Multan Cricket Stadium, followed by a clash between Peshawar Zalmi and Lahore Qalandars at Gaddafi Stadiums Lahore.
