ISLAMABAD: Karachi Kings defeated Lahore Qalandars by 22 runs to secure their first victory in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
PSL is Pakistan’s professional T20 cricket league that has, over the course of half a decade, become the country’s most popular sports event. The month-long tournament features six different teams, each representing a Pakistani city, competing for the trophy.
Karachi won the toss and decided to bat first in the game. The side posted a mild total of 149 runs from 19.5 overs.
Captain Babar Azam scored 39 off 32 balls, Lewis Gregory hit 27 off 16 deliveries and Qasim Akram chipped in with his 26 off 18 balls.
Zaman Khan returned with 4/16 figures, while Rashid Khan finished 4/17. Mohammad Hafeez took one wicket.
In response, Lahore could only score 127 from 20 overs at a loss of nine wickets. Mohammad Hafeez (33), David Wiese (31) and Harry Brook (26) remained the top-scorers.
Mir Hamza finished 4/27. Chris Jordan took two wickets for 23 runs, while Imad Wasim dismissed one for 23 runs.
This was the first win for Karachi Kings after eight consecutive losses, with fans taking aim at skipper Babar Azam for not demonstrating leadership skills.
On the other hand, Lahore Qalandars have won five of their eight matches and are placed at number two on the points table.