LAHORE: Karachi Kings seemed in complete control of their chase against Quetta Gladiators in the HBL Pakistan Super League — needing just a run a ball with eight wickets in hand by the 11th over — but a stunning collapse saw them lose by five runs at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
Quetta, sitting fifth on the table, stayed patient and finally broke through when Tim Seifert, looking dangerous on 47, mistimed a big hit off Mohammad Wasim and was caught at long-on by Rilee Rossouw in the 12th over. What followed was a rapid unraveling: five wickets fell in just 33 balls as Karachi crashed to 137-8 chasing 142 — the lowest total successfully defended at the venue in PSL history.
After Seifert, Shan Masood fell next, caught brilliantly by Kusal Mendis off Khurram Shahzad. Then, skipper Saud Shakeel’s clever field placement at slip helped dismiss Khushdil Shah off Abrar Ahmed. Mohammad Nabi was soon removed by Amir, and wickets kept tumbling — including Abbas Afridi and Omair Bin Yousuf via LBW decisions, with Wasim and Khurram bagging two wickets apiece. Faheem Ashraf bowled a tight final over to seal the win.
Karachi’s chase began with David Warner falling early to Mohammad Amir, but Seifert and James Vince put them on top, hitting a flurry of boundaries and taking the team past 50 in the powerplay. Seifert’s boundary-hitting spree and Vince’s strokeplay had Karachi at 82-2 at the halfway mark. But Seifert’s dismissal marked a turning point as the batting lineup crumbled under pressure.
Earlier, Quetta had been bowled out for 142 in 19.3 overs. Faheem Ashraf’s powerful 43 off 27 balls, including four fours and three sixes, proved crucial in lifting the total after a shaky start. Saud Shakeel began brightly but was quickly dismissed by Hasan Ali, who also removed Finn Allen and Rossouw in a fiery spell, leaving Quetta reeling at 29-3. Mendis (36) and Hasan Nawaz (35) provided some resistance, and a 59-run partnership between Faheem and Nawaz revived the innings. Late strikes from Hamza and Abbas Afridi, along with Hasan’s run-out, ended Quetta’s innings, but it was just enough to earn their second win of the season.
Score Summary:
Quetta Gladiators 142 all out (19.3 overs):
Faheem Ashraf 43, Kusal Mendis 36, Hasan Nawaz 35; Hasan Ali 3-33, Abbas Afridi 2-31, Mir Hamza 2-24
Karachi Kings 137-8 (20 overs):
Tim Seifert 47, James Vince 30; Mohammad Wasim 2-22, Khurram Shahzad 2-31, Mohammad Amir 2-25
Result: Quetta Gladiators won by 5 runs
Player of the Match: Faheem Ashraf
