Hasan disappointed after KK exit

Karachi Kings vice-captain Hasan Ali has shared his thoughts after his team's loss to Lahore Qalandars in the Eliminator 1 of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10.

Hasan Ali, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, addressed the media in the post-match press conference.

The right-arm pacer, who showcased his prowess in this year's edition, highlighted the positives that emerged throughout the tournament for Karachi Kings.

"The score was decent. We couldn't take wickets in the powerplay," he said while crediting Lahore Qalandars' Abdullah Shafique for his standout performance.

"Abdullah and Fakhar both batted brilliantly," he told reporters.

While clearly disheartened by the team's early elimination, the Kings' vice-captain Hasan remained optimistic about their overall showing.

"It's a disappointing moment for me. Unfortunately, we couldn't win, but as a team, we played good cricket this season as compared to the past three or four seasons," Hasan added.

Hasan also highlighted his career-threatening injury, stating that he worked hard in the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

"It was very important for me to return to the team after facing a career-threatening injury," he said. "Pakistan means everything to me, and returning to the team meant a lot."

Reflecting on his personal form, Hasan expressed satisfaction with his performances: "I am very satisfied with my personal performance. My job is to work hard," Hasan Ali said.

The experienced pacer also pointed to strategic errors during the eliminator, lamenting poor execution in bowling and fielding.

"We can say we set a good target, but we didn't bowl in the right areas during the powerplay," he admitted.

Hasan Ali hailed David Warner's leadership, mentioning his experience in international cricket.

"Warner playing with us was the biggest thing. We know how experienced he is in international cricket. Playing under his captaincy and learning from him as vice-captain was a great experience," Hasan said.

Hasan remained proud of the team's effort while expressing disappointment at not qualifying for the final. "Unfortunately, we couldn't reach the final, but that was our target," Hasan Ali concluded.

Sloppy Qalandars

Former Pakistan pace legend Wasim Akram didn't hold back as he slammed Lahore Qalandars for their poor fielding performance during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 Eliminator against Karachi Kings at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

Akram's remarks came after Qalandars' fielders, including Haris Rauf and Mohammad Naeem, dropped two straightforward chances to dismiss David Warner, allowing the seasoned Aussie batter extra lifelines.

Expressing his frustration during the live commentary, the former Pakistan captain said angrily, "What's going on? This is not acceptable. This isn't even club cricket standard right now. Misfields, poor throws - they're looking lethargic, laid-back, and lazy."

Despite their sloppy fielding, a collective bowling effort and a blistering half-century by Abdullah Shafique propelled Lahore Qalandars to a commanding six-wicket victory over arch-rivals Karachi Kings, knocking them out of the tournament.

Chasing a daunting 191-run target, the Qalandars reached the total with ease, losing only four wickets and sealing the win with eight balls to spare. Openers Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Naeem gave the hosts a solid start.

Fakhar continued the momentum with an aggressive 28-ball 47, smashing five boundaries and three sixes. After his dismissal, Abdullah Shafique took charge of the chase with a brilliant 35-ball 65, featuring three fours and five sixes.

Shafique also stitched an important 83-run partnership for the third wicket with Kusal Perera, who chipped in with a valuable 24-ball 30.