Karachi Kings 175 for 7 (Vince 70, Warner 31, Majid 2-29, Amir 2-42) beat Quetta Gladiators 119 for 9 (Shakeel 33*, Amir 30, Hasan 3-27, Nabi 2-7, Abbas 2-9) by 56 runs
The PSL may have taken a day off, but it didn't stop the league from producing another blowout. The in-form James Vince led the way for Karachi Kings, his easy elegance producing 70 off 47 balls to bail his side out of a tricky position three quarters of the way into the innings. It was complemented by an excellent bowling and fielding performance in the face of limp resistance from Quetta Gladiators. The ageless Mohammad Nabi was the architect of the Gladiators' woes, conceding just seven in four overs for two wickets. Gladiators had lost their first five wickets for 57 and trudged on till the end as Karachi wrapped up a 56-run triumph.
Kings opted to bat, and, as has been the trend this tournament, flew out of the blocks with David Warner and Tim Seifert. In four of the first five overs, Kings found at least two boundaries in a free-flowing start, in spite of Gladiators running through the bowling options in an attempt to find a way to apply the brakes. Back-to-back fours by Seifert off 33-year-old legspinner Ali Majid, who was making his PSL debut, brought up Kings' fifty in the fifth over.
But Kings lost their way as the end of the powerplay neared. Abrar Ahmed beat Warner in the flight four balls before Saud Shakeel cleaned Seifert up, and as Kings stuttered, Gladiators squeezed. The next four overs produced just 18 as Shakeel's men dominated the middle overs, and by the end of the 14th, the momentum had switched around completely, with Kings having managed 108 for 4.
However, the PSL's penchant for producing big runs at the death in the first innings held firm. Vince, the only one batting with any fluency at this point, went after Faheem Ashraf, who has been routinely expensive this tournament. As Gladiators' discipline faltered, Vince and Nabi made hay, smashing 67 in the final six to end with a total they felt was defendable.
They need not have worried at all. Seven balls into their defence, Kings began to cut through their opponents. Mir Hamza responded to a Finn Allen six with a slower ball he toe-ended to Nabi, while Hasan Nawaz fell to an excellent catch at slip by Khushdil Shah.
It never really got better for them despite a cameo from Kusal Mendis as a dart from Nabi brought about his departure. It was the Afghan's first over, and he would have sunk his sword deep into the Gladiators by the time he had be done with his fourth. The ever-dangerous Rilee Rossouw departed trying to deposit him over the rope, and when he sent down his last delivery, Gladiators were teetering on the brink at 53 for 6 at the halfway stage.
Opener Shakeel hung around ineffectually, never making a realistic attempt to go after the target. He clipped it around as Mohammad Amir had some success with a few swings; it was telling that by the time Aamer Jamal cleaned Amir up, he had hit a 16-ball 30 from No. 9 while Shakeel, who faced the innings' first ball, had managed 29 off 35.
Shakeel would remain undefeated till the end of an innings that hobbled along till the final delivery as Gladiators ended on 119 for 9. However, the same could not be said of the team he leads, which fell to its second successive heavy defeat.
