MATCH REPORT
Follow UsBabar Azam leads Karachi Kings to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Multan Sultans in Match 9 of Pakistan Super league (PSL) 2021 at the National Stadium, Karachi. Thus, the trend of chasing the target down targets continues in this edition of the PSL. With this win, Karachi have won two out of their three matches in the tournament, while Multan have managed just a solitary victory from their four matches
In pursuit of 196, Babar put on 56 off 29 for the first wicket with Sharjeel Khan (27) and then followed that up with a 97-run stand with Joe Clarke (54) off just 57 deliveries to take their side to the brink of victory. Sharjeel and Babar laid into Sohail Khan in the third over of the chase, taking 20 off him to get things started. Any other day, Sohail would have had a couple of wickets, but the batsmen rode their luck as the top edges and the inside edges found the fence.
Fresh from a century in the last game, Sharjeel was caught down the leg side, but there was no respite for the Kings as Clarke came in and began whacking the ball right from the outset. On a flat batting wicket, Babar and Clarke punished the spinners and with the ball coming on to the bat nicely, even the fast bowlers were not spared. Babar reached his fifty – his second in as many matches –f off 32 deliveries and at 103 for 1 in 10 overs, it seemed like it would be a cakewalk for Kings.
Clarke, who was playing second fiddle to Babar until then, switched gears and brought up his maiden PSL fifty off just 24 balls, before in an attempt to play a paddle shot over third man, the ball found the edge and Chris Lynn completed an easy catch at point to give Shahnawaz Dhani his second wicket of the game. Sohail returned to get Colin Ingram for six, but Babar and Mohammad Nabi ensured that there weren’t any further damages as the Kings cruised to a comfortable victory with over an over to spare.
Earlier, Multan Sultans, who came into this match with an impressive win over Lahore Qalandars 24 hours ago, posted a competitive total of 196 for 6. Some impressive performances with the ball at the death, which included conceding just one boundary in the last four overs, saw Sultans being restricted to below 200.
As a result of some top-class bowling by Mohammad Amir and Waqas Maqsood, Sultans managed just 31 runs from the last four overs, which eventually cost them. Another 15 runs or so, they could have made a match of this.
It was business as usual for Mohammad Rizwan (43), who first put on 53 for the first wicket with Chris Lynn (32), who finally struck form in this game. James Vince (45) too looked in excellent form and he added a further 70 with Rizwan for the second wicket. Once Vince departed after that, Sultans lost wickets at regular intervals and as a result, their innings did not have any momentum.
Luckily for them, Sohaib Maqsood (34*) held one end up and ensured his team ended up with a formidable total in the end.
Karachi Kings are back in action once again tomorrow (February 28), where they take on Lahore Qalandars, while Multan Sultans will have a few days to get their heads together and will be back in action on March 3 against Quetta Gladiators.
Brief scores:
Multan Sultans 195 for 6 in 20 overs (James Vince 45, Mohammad Rizwan 43; Arshad Iqbal 2 for 36) lost to Karachi Kings 198 for 3 in 18.5 overs (Babar Azam 90*, Joe Clarke 54; Shahnawaz Dhani 2 for 28) by 7 wickets
Player of the match: Babar Azam