Qalandars vs Kings: Lahore beaten in Karachi’s 128 low scoring encounter

LAHORE: Karachi Kings beat defending champions Lahore Qalandars by four wickets in a low-scoring thriller at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday, chasing down 129 with three balls to spare.

A steady innings from Muhammad Waseem (38 off 37) and a late cameo from Abbas Afridi sealed the victory.

Kings lost early wickets, with captain David Warner (8) and Salman Ali Agha (0) departing in the third over for just 10 runs.

Waseem then anchored the chase with crucial partnerships with Saad Baig (19) and Moeen Ali (18) before falling to Shaheen Shah Afridi in the 15th over.

The final over drama saw Haris Rauf dismiss Khushdil Shah (13) on the first ball, but Abbas Afridi hit a four and six off the next two deliveries to guide Karachi home.

Shaheen Shah Afridi was the pick of the bowlers for Qalandars, taking four wickets for 18 runs. Adam Zampa was named Player of the Match for his economical 2-11 in four overs.

Qalandars struggled batting first, posting only 128/9. Early wickets of Fakhar Zaman (1) and Mohammad Naeem (13) put them on the back foot.

Abdullah Shafique top-scored with 33, while a 43-run partnership between Haseebullah Khan and Sikandar Raza offered a brief recovery. Wickets fell quickly in the final overs, leaving Qalandars short of a defendable total.

For Karachi, Zampa, Mir Hamza, and Moeen Ali took two wickets each, with Hasan Ali, Salman Ali Agha, and Abbas Afridi claiming one each.

The win keeps Karachi Kings in strong form, while Qalandars’ batting woes on tricky pitches continue.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators, led by Saud Shakeel, secured their first win of PSL 11 with a convincing 40-run victory over Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday. Defending 175, Quetta’s bowlers delivered a dominant performance to restrict Hyderabad to 134-8 in 20 overs.