Karachi Kings’ promising run chase took a dramatic turn for the worse as they suffered a disastrous collapse from 92 for 2 to 107 for 7, eventually falling short in their pursuit of a modest target.
Chasing a target of 143, the Kings looked comfortably placed with Tim Seifert and James Vince steering the innings after early loss of skipper David Warner, who managed just 4 off 4 balls before falling to Mohammad Amir.
Seifert led the charge with an explosive 47 off 26 deliveries, smashing five boundaries and two sixes, while Vince added a steady 30 from 29 balls.
At one stage, the Kings were cruising—needing just 54 runs off 54 balls with eight wickets in hand—before the Gladiators turned the game on its head with one of the finest comebacks in PSL history.
What seemed to be a routine chase soon turned into a nightmare as Quetta Gladiators’ bowlers clawed their way back with a flurry of wickets. The Kings lost five wickets for just 15 runs, collapsing from 92 for 2 to 107 for 7.
Shan Masood (9), Omair Yousuf (11), Khushdil Shah (0), Mohammad Nabi (4), and Abbas Afridi (0) were all dismissed in quick succession.
Hasan Ali tried to resurrect the innings with a quick-fire 24 off 13, including three boundaries and a six, but the damage was already done. Karachi Kings managed only 137 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs, falling five runs short of the target.
Mohammad Wasim and Mohammad Amir inflicted key damage with two wickets each, while Abrar Ahmed and Khurram Shahzad also chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.
Earlier, Hasan Ali’s exceptional opening spell, backed by disciplined bowling from the rest of the attack, helped Karachi Kings dismantle Quetta Gladiators’ batting lineup, bowling them out for just 142 runs in 19.3 overs.
The Kings’ decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved to be a masterstroke, as Quetta suffered a disastrous start, losing both openers inside the first two overs.
Captain Saud Shakeel was the first to fall for just 6 runs, caught by Shan Masood off Hasan Ali. One ball later, Finn Allen departed for a golden duck, and Rilee Rossouw followed soon after, clean bowled by Hasan for 10 off 9 deliveries, leaving the Gladiators struggling at 20 for 3.
Kusal Mendis tried to rebuild with some aggressive intent, hitting five boundaries in a quickfire 36 off 22 balls, but he too was undone, caught by James Vince off Abbas Afridi. The middle order failed to provide any meaningful resistance, with Mark Chapman (4), Mohammad Wasim (1), and Mohammad Amir (0) all dismissed cheaply.
The only notable contributions came from Faheem Ashraf, who top-scored with a blistering 43 off 27 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, and Hasan Nawaz, who chipped in with 35 off 34. However, the duo’s efforts were not enough to lift Quetta to a competitive total.
Karachi’s bowlers maintained tight lines throughout the innings. Hasan Ali was the standout performer with figures of 3 for 33 in 3.3 overs, while Abbas Afridi picked up 2 for 31. Mir Hamza bowled with impressive control, returning 2 for 24 from his four overs. Mohammad Nabi and Fawad Ali also chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Quetta’s innings came to a close at 142, with only three batsmen managing to reach double figures.
The Kings will be looking to build on the momentum from their thrilling last-over victory against Peshawar Zalmi, while the Gladiators aim to bounce back and revive their campaign after suffering two consecutive defeats.
Karachi Kings: David Warner (Captain), +Tim Siefert, James Vince, Shan Masood, Omair Bin Yousuf, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mir Hamza, Fawad Ali.
Quetta Gladiators: Saud Shakeel (Captain), Fin Allen, Rilee Rossouw, +Kusal Mendis, Mark Chapman, Hasan Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Khurram Shahzad, Abrar Ahmed.
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