LAHORE (A News) : Kieron Pollard’s searing half-century helped Karachi Kings defeat Lahore Qalandars in an exciting Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 match at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Set to chase 176, the Karachi Kings kept their composure to reach the target on the penultimate ball, with Mir Hamza getting the single to secure the deal.
However, they had a rocky start to the chase, losing early wickets and falling to 44-4 during the power play.
Experienced batsmen Shoaib Malik and Pollard then joined forces to get Karachi Kings out of danger, putting on a good 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Pollard was the main aggressor in the partnership, blasting five sixes and a four on his way to a 33-ball knock of 58 runs before miscuing one to Shaheen Afridi, which was securely caught by Rassie van der Dussen.
Meanwhile, Malik played the anchor role, scoring 39 off 32 with three boundaries, before attempting to alter gears but falling to Haris Rauf.
Lahore Qalandars sought to engineer a comeback with key wickets, but Irfan Khan stood steady, keeping the scoreboard moving and bringing the match to the last over.
With 11 runs needed from the last over, Hasan Ali hammered a six off the opening ball to relieve pressure then rotated the strike to tie the score.
But he couldn’t finish the game because he left with the scores tied, bringing Hamza to the crease, where he made the winning stroke.
Lahore Qalandars’ Ahsan Hafeez and Zaman Khan each claimed two wickets, while Afridi, Jahandad Khan, and Rauf each took one.
Earlier, Karachi Kings requested the home team to bat first and started well with the ball, with Hamza sending Fakhar Zaman (6) back in the third over.
Sahibzada Farhan and Van der Dussen (26) then formed an anchoring partnership of 36 runs in as many balls before Tabraiz Shamsi trapped his South African colleague lbw while trying a slog sweep.
Farhan stood steady against Karachi Kings’ economical bowling, which reduced Lahore Qalandars to 90-4 in 13 overs.
Shai Hope then played a brief cameo of 21 runs from 13 balls, including one six and two boundaries, before attempting to clear the boundary again and being caught by Malik.
George Linde joined Farhan with the scoreboard showing 121-6, but they turned things around with a fast 54-run partnership from 26 balls, bringing the team’s total to 175 in their allotted 20 overs.
Farhan carried his bat through the innings, scoring an undefeated 72 off 45 balls, including four boundaries and as many sixes.
Meanwhile, Linde scored 26 runs with a strike rate of 200 off three boundaries and one six.
For the Karachi Kings, Hamza, Shamsi, and Hasan Ali each took two wickets.