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       LAHORE: Up until the 11th over, Karachi Kings were cruising; run-a-ball needed, eight wickets in hand, all set to consolidate their number-two spot in the HBL Pakistan Super League standings.

       Quetta Gladiators — placed fifth — meanwhile, stayed in the hunt for a breakthrough. And when it finally came in the form of high-flying opener Tim Siefert’s miscued a heave off pacer Mohammad Wasim caught by Rilee Rossouw at long-on in the 12th over, Gladiators ensured the Kings did not breathe again.

       The next five wickets fell in the space of 33 balls, as Quetta stole the match by five runs for only their second victory this season here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night.

       Following Seifert’s ouster Shan Masood was the next to follow, with wicket-keeper Kusal Mendis taking a flying catch off Khurram Shahzad’s bowling in the next over before a Quetta skipper Saud Shakeel’s brilliant decision to place himself at first slip for Abrar Ahmed’s leg-spin saw him take a simple catch to dismiss Khushdil Shah..

       Abrar could have gone on to take yet another wicket on the very next ball had Wasim had held on to the ball after a diving attempt to take a catch off Mohammad Nabi’s drive. But the Afghan veteran didn’t stay on for too long, as Amir returned in the 16th to get him out.

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       Khurram returned in the 17th to see a DRS ruling confirm Abbas Afridi’s lbw dismissal and Wasim took his second by trapping Omair Bin Yousuf before Faheem Ashraf’s brilliant final over restricted Kings to 137-8 in pursuit of 142 – the lowest ever score defended in the PSL at the venue.

       Kings start to the chase was decent despite veteran pacer Mohammad Amir striking in the first over to dismiss Kings captain and opener David Warner.

       Seifert and James Vince hit Kings’ first two sixes off Khurram and Amir in the following couple of overs. Seifert drove Khurram for three more boundaries in the fourth over to put Kings in the driving seat.

       Vince smacked Wasim through the on-side and sliced the pacer through square as Kings crossed 50 in the powerplay Seifert cleared long-off and clobbered Faheem through the same region for a boundary in the eighth over. However, he saw Vince perish off Saud’s left-arm spin in the next over as Kings reached 82-2 at the halfway stage before Siefert’s wicket triggered a collapse..

       Earlier, Gladiators were bundled out for 142 in 19.3 overs in a topsy-turvy first innings as Faheem’s explosive 43 off 27 balls, including four fours and three sixes, propped up the total after early collapses and a shaky middle-order show.

       Opener Saud kicked off proceedings with a stylish four off Mir Hamza’s opening delivery, but Hasan Ali’s (3-33) fiery second over turned the tide.

       He dismissed openers Saud and Finn Allen in quick succession, leaving Quetta at 8-2. Rossouw (10) briefly counterattacked with two boundaries, only to fall to Hasan, dragging one onto his stumps at 29-3 by the fourth over.

       Mendis (36 off 22) provided stability, stroking five boundaries, including a deft late cut and a flicked four. However, Nabi’s arm ball accounted for Mark Chapman), reducing Quetta to 45-4 after six overs. Mendis and Hasan Nawaz (35 off 34) added 24 runs, but Mendis’ aggressive knock ended when he miscued Abbas Afridi to James Vince at long-on, leaving Quetta at 69-5.

       Faheem’s arrival injected momentum. He and Hasan Nawaz added 59 for the sixth wicket, with Faheem smashing a six and a four off Hasan in a 19-run 15th over.

       His flicked six off Abbas further boosted Quetta past 100. Hassan Nawaz’s gritty stand ended when he holed out to Vince off pacer Fawad Ali, and Hamza’s wicket-maiden 18th over saw Wasim cleaned up by a perfect yorker and Amir caught by Warner.

       Faheem’s valiant effort was halted by a stunning one-handed catch from wicket-keeper Seifert off Abbas, and Khurram’s run-out, via Hasan’s direct hit, wrapped up the innings with a total good enough for them to win at the end.

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       SCOREBOARD

       QUETTA GLADIATORS:

       Saud Shakeel c Shan b Hasan 6

       Finn Allen c Abbas b Hasan 0

       Rilee Rossouw b Hasan 10

       Kusal Mendis c Vince b Abbas 36

       Mark Chapman b Nabi 4

       Hasan Nawaz c Vince b Fawad 35

       Faheem Ashraf c Seifert b Abbas 43

       Mohammad Wasim b Hamza 1

       Mohammad Amir c Warner b Hamza 0

       Khurram Shahzad run out 1

       Abrar Ahmed not out 2

       EXTRAS (LB-2, NB-1, W-1) 4

       TOTAL (all out, 19.3 overs) 142

       FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Saud), 2-8 (Allen), 3-20 (Rossouw), 4-44 (Chapman), 5-69 (Mendis), 6-128 (Hasan), 7-131 (Wasim), 8-131 (Amir), 9-139 (Faheem)

       BOWLING: Hamza 4-1-24-2, Hasan 3.3-0-33-3 (1w), Nabi 4-0-21-1, Khushdil 1-0-12-0, Fawad 3-0-19-1 (1nb), Abbas 4-0-31-2

       KARACHI KINGS:

       David Warner c Rossouw b Amir 4

       Tim Seifert c Rossouw b Wasim 47

       James Vince c Rossouw b Saud 30

       Shan Masood c Mendis b Khurram 9

       Omair Bin Yousuf lbw b Wasim 11

       Khushdil Shah c Saud b Abrar 0

       Mohammad Nabi c Khurram b Amir 4

       Abbas Afridi lbw b Khurram 0

       Hasan Ali not out 24

       Mir Hamza not out 3

       EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-1, W-1) 5

       TOTAL (for eight wickets, 20 overs) 137

       DID NOT BAT: Fawad Ali

       FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Warner), 2-77 (Vince), 3-93 (Seifert), 4-96 (Shan), 5-97 (Khushdil), 6-102 (Nabi), 7-107 (Abbas), 8-115 (Omair)

       BOWLING: Amir 4-0-25-2 (1w), Khurram 4-0-31-2, Abrar 4-0-15-1, Wasim 4-0-22-2, Faheem 2-0-30-0 (1nb), Saud 2-0-10-1

       RESULT: Quetta Gladiators won by five runs.

       PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Faheem Ashraf

       Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2025