Gladiators Seal Second Victory in PSL 10

LAHORE: In a captivating encounter at Gaddafi Stadium, Quetta Gladiators clinched their second triumph in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10, narrowly defeating Karachi Kings by five runs on Friday.

Despite a promising start, the Kings fell short of the 143-run target, concluding their innings at 137-8.

The chase commenced turbulently as Karachi’s skipper, David Warner, was dismissed early for a mere four runs by Mohammad Amir in the initial over.

Tim Seifert and James Vince retaliated strongly, adopting an aggressive approach that put the Gladiators under considerable pressure. Together, they forged a 50-run partnership for the second wicket, consistently hitting boundaries and seemingly in command of the chase.

However, the tide shifted when Quetta’s captain, Saud Shakeel, broke the partnership by dismissing Vince for 30 off 29 deliveries, leaving the Kings at 77-2 in the ninth over.

Seifert continued his aggressive play but was eventually removed by Mohammad Wasim Jr. after scoring a rapid 47 off 26 balls, further denting Karachi’s hopes at 93-3 in the 12th over.

Karachi’s middle order crumbled under the mounting pressure. Shan Masood’s struggles persisted as he was dismissed by Khurram Shahzad for a painstaking 9 off 17 balls.

The situation deteriorated as Abrar Ahmed dismissed Khushdil Shah for a duck, and Amir returned to claim the wicket of Mohammad Nabi for four.

Shahzad struck again, sending Abbas Afridi back without troubling the scorers, while Wasim Jr. further diminished Karachi’s chances by removing Omair Bin Yousuf for 11.

Despite a valiant effort of 24* off 13 balls from Hasan Ali, the Kings were unable to reach the target, falling short by five runs.

Earlier in the day, after electing to bat, Quetta Gladiators faced an unsteady beginning. Captain Saud Shakeel was dismissed early by Hasan Ali, while Mohammad Nabi removed Mark Chapman, leaving Quetta struggling at 44-4 by the end of the powerplay.

Kusal Mendis provided some resistance with a brisk 36 off 22 balls, including five boundaries, but his innings was cut short by Abbas Afridi in the ninth over. He and Hassan Nawaz had put together a valuable 25-run partnership.

Nawaz, alongside Faheem Ashraf, attempted to stabilize the innings with a 59-run stand for the sixth wicket.

Nawaz contributed 35 off 34 balls before being dismissed by Fawad Ali, who celebrated his first-ever PSL wicket. Faheem added a late surge with a crucial 43 off 26 balls before being dismissed by Abbas Afridi.

Quetta’s innings concluded at 139 in 19.3 overs after Khurram Shahzad was run out by Hasan Ali, with an assist from Tim Seifert.

For Karachi, Hasan Ali spearheaded the bowling attack with three wickets. Abbas Afridi and Mir Hamza each claimed two wickets, while Mohammad Nabi and Fawad Ali each took one wicket.