KARACHI: Karachi Kings won the opening match of the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) against Quetta Gladiators at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.
The Gladiators had managed to score 121 runs in 19.2 overs. The Kings started off strong by dismissing both Sarfaraz Ahmed and Tom Banton early in the game.
Saim Ayub, who made his T20 debut, fell in the eighth over, adding an equal number of runs to the scoreboard. Chris Gayle, dubbed the “T20 superstar”, met his downfall in the ninth over. Gayle scored 39 runs.
In response, the Kings’ run chase was never in trouble. Despite losing the early wicket of Sharjeel Khan, they immediately got back on their feet, reaching their target with more than six overs and seven wickets to spare.
Babar Azam, for once, wasn’t the top performer for the Kings. Joe Clarke’s scintillating 23-ball 46 was the highlight of the port city team’s innings. Later, Mohammad Nabi chipped in with an unbeaten 30 off 14 to get his team home.
Sharing his thoughts in the post-match presentation, Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim stated, “The way we started deserves a round of applause especially Arshad. We have so many options. Nabi didn’t bowl, it is good to have those options and I felt Nabi was not required on this surface.”
Of his part, Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmad said, “The target in our mind was 170-180. But we were not able to execute. I did open in this match but we will analyse where is my best position. The runs were too less and hence attacked with the fast bowlers.”
Karachi Kings:Â Babar Azam, Sharjeel Khan, Colin Ingram, Joe Clarke (wk), Mohammad Nabi, Dan Christian, Imad Wasim (capt) Aamer Yamin, Waqas Maqsood, Mohammad Amir, Arshad Iqbal
Quetta Gladiators:Â Chris Gayle, Tom Banton, Azam Khan, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt &wk(), Saim Ayub, Ben Cutting, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hasnain, Qais Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Usman Shinwari
OPENING CEREMONY:
PSL kicked off earlier today in Karachi with a star-studded opening ceremony.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ehsan Mani kicked things off by welcoming international players to the country. “We welcome you to Pakistan and know that you will take back very fond memories of your stay here and look forward to seeing you again next year.”
“This year, matches are only being played in Karachi and Lahore. Only 7,500 people will be able to attend matches in Karachi and 5,500 in Lahore due to the coronavirus,” he said, adding that he was hopeful the situation would improve and allow more fans to attend matches.
He also thanked the fans for making PSL a success, while also expressing his gratitude to the sponsors of the tournament. He added that the tournament would not have been possible without the cooperation of the provincial governments and law enforcement agencies.
He concluded his speech by wishing all six franchises luck in the tournament.
In his address, HBL CEO Mohammad Aurangzeb said: “We missed the fans last year and some would argue the energy associated with having a full stadium. But from my perspective, stadiums are where the fans are, whether they are in the stands or watching from the comfort of their homes.”
