A clinical all-round performance by Karachi Kings, highlighted by James Vince’s fluent 70 and Hasan Ali’s record-breaking spell, secured a commanding 56-run victory over Quetta Gladiators under the lights at National Bank Stadium on Friday night.
Set a target of 176, Quetta’s innings unraveled quickly as they crashed to 37 for 5 inside the Powerplay. Mir Hamza removed Finn Allen in the first over, before a flurry of wickets left the Gladiators reeling with only three batters crossing double figures.
Captain Saud Shakeel’s 33 not out off 40 balls lacked momentum, and while Mohammad Amir swung freely late in the innings with a brisk 30 off 16 balls (3 sixes, 2 fours), the target remained well out of reach. Quetta finished with a paltry 119 for 9 in 20 overs.
The night, however, belonged to Hasan Ali, who not only took 3 for 27 but also etched his name into the record books as the highest wicket-taker in PSL history, overtaking Wahab Riaz with 116 wickets.
Veteran Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi made an instant impact in his first appearance of the season, delivering an economical 4-0-7-2 spell, removing key batters Kusal Mendis and Rilee Rossouw to strangle the chase further. Mohammad Abbas Afridi chipped in with 2 for 9 in his two overs.
Earlier, Karachi Kings built a strong foundation through openers David Warner (31 off 20) and Tim Seifert (27 off 15), who launched a flurry of boundaries in the Powerplay. The innings briefly stuttered with quick wickets to Abrar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel, but James Vince’s elegant 70 off 47 balls (6 fours, 1 six) revived the innings.
Batting at number four, Vince accelerated smartly after anchoring the middle overs. A couple of big hits from Nabi (18 off 12) in the final over lifted the Kings to a competitive 175 for 7.
Gladiators’ bowlers were tidy in patches, with Ali Majid (2-29) and Mohammad Amir (2-42) among the wickets, but their batters failed to back them up.
With this win, Karachi Kings gained vital momentum and moved up the table, while Quetta Gladiators were left to reflect on a performance that lacked firepower and intent.
Scores in brief:
Match 8 – Karachi Kings beat Quetta Gladiators by 56 runs at National Bank Stadium, Karachi
Karachi Kings: 175-7 in 20 overs (James Vince 70, David Warner 31, Tim Seifert 27; Ali Majid 2-29, Mohammad Amir 2-42)
Quetta Gladiators: 119-9 in 20 overs (Saud Shakeel 33 not out, Mohammad Amir 30; Hasan Ali 3-27, Mohammad Nabi 2-7, Mohammad Abbas Afridi 2-9)
Player of the Match: James Vince (Karachi Kings)
Saturday’s Fixture: Multan Sultans vs Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium – 8:00 PM PKT
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