RAWALPINDI: An impressive show of bowling led by Hasan Ali steered Karachi Kings to a resounding seven-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in their HBL Pakistan Super League match here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

The facile win — just third in seven matches of the ongoing edition— gives the Shan Masood-led side a much-needed boost to their campaign.

The decision to field first in the day game proved extremely beneficial for the Kings as the Gladiators, currently placed second behind Multan Sultans on the points table, struggled throughout the game.

After bundling out the Gladiators for 118, the Kings faced almost no trouble as they overhauled the target in 15.3 overs thanks to 49 off 31 balls by opener Tim Seifert.

The Kings did not have a good start when Shan (seven) was dismissed by Mohammad Amir who bowled a beauty outside the off-stump in the second over of the innings, and Sarfaraz Ahmed held a regulation catch.

James Vince (27 off 28, two fours) then joined right-handed Seifert and both added 50 runs off 37 balls to put the Gladiators under pressure. The duo became aggressive against Amir, hitting a six and two fours in the fourth over. In the last over of powerplay, Vince smashed back-to-back fours off mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.

At 63-1 in the ninth over, Vince was sent back by West Indies’ slow left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein as the English batter went for a cut but only succeeded in giving a dolly to Mohammad Hasnain at gully.

Shoaib Malik then joined Siefert, who struck three consecutive boundaries to Hasnain in the 11th over. They shared a 44-run third-wicket stand which was broken by Abrar in the 14th over when Seifert came down the track for a big hit off a wide ball outside off but missed it and was stumped by Sarfraz on the second attempt. Seifert struck six fours and two sixes. Shoaib made an unbeaten 27 off 20 with two maximums including the match-winning shot, and Irfan Khan (4) completed the job.

Earlier, right-armer Hasan and company did not allow the Gladiators to flourish and post a competitive total.

Saud Shakeel made 33 off 28 with two fours and two sixes but his effort was no way near enough and the team were sent packing by the Kings with five balls to spare.

Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani dismissed opener Jason Roy (15) on his very first ball of the match, in the third over, as Hasan took a well-judged catch at third man.

At 67-1 in the ninth over, Hasan deceived Saud on a slowish ball as the batter was caught by Shoaib at deep midwicket. The southpaw two fours and as many sixes.

Hasan in the same over dismissed number three batter Khawaja Nafay (17 off 15) who was caught by Muzarabani at fine leg.

The Gladiators, who were now 68-3, could not recover and kept losing wickets regularly.

Former skipper Sarfaraz’s poor run with the bat continued when he was run out by substitute Anwar Ali for seven in the 12th over due to a mix-up with captain Rilee Rossouw.

Rossouw (10 off 16) misread leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood and was caught by Mohammad Nawaz at long-off. When Sherfane Rutherford (nine off nine) was caught also at long-off by Kieron Pollard off Muzarabani, it was 97-6 in the 15th over.

Amir playing across the line was cleaned up Zahid in the 16th over and Akeal going for a huge shot was caught by Pollard off Hasan at long-off. Hasan’s slower delivery uprooted Hasnain’s middle-stump as the pacer took his fourth wicket in the game while conceding only 15 runs to earn the player-of-the-match award.

Paceman Mir Hamza’s well-deceived slower ball to last man Usman Tariq wrapped up the Gladiators innings. Muzarabani (2-27) and Zahid (2-25) kept things under control for the Kings.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2024