After clinching their maiden Pakistan Super League (PSL) title, Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim has hailed the late Dean Jones for his immense contribution to the team’s success. Karachi defeated Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the final on Tuesday (November 17), with Babar Azam starring once again with an unbeaten 49-ball 63, for which he was adjudged the player of the match.  

Talking about Jones’ contribution, Wasim said, "Dean Jones, of course, gets credit because what he taught us, very few coaches in the world can. Wasim Akram, of course, deserves the trophy because he was our bowling coach, head coach, mentor, and team president rolled in one. It's an honour to captain this franchise," according to ESPNCricinfo.

Jones, 59, passed away in a Mumbai hotel earlier this year when he was working as a commentator in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Jones was appointed the coach of Karachi Kings in March and took them to the playoffs, before the COVID-19 pandemic halted the tournament. Jones has also helped Islamabad United to a couple of PSL titles previously.

Speaking of his team’s performance in the final, Wasim said, "The way the bowlers bowled was fantastic. We misread the pitch somewhat, too, because we wanted to bat first, too. The bounce wasn't true, and so we varied our pace and lines, and I think our bowlers executed their plans perfectly." 

"We knew if Babar put on a masterclass we could effectively put our feet up in the chase. Obviously, anything can go wrong and in the end, we lost a couple of wickets all of a sudden, and that's why I'd decided to go in lower down the order, so we'd have some security at the end," he added.