Karachi Kings opened their HBL PSL 2020 campaign with a thrilling 10-run win over Peshawar Zalmi at Karachi’s National Stadium yesterday. 
Right-arm pacer Umaid Asif defended 16 runs off the last over as Kings successfully guarded their 201 for four.
Liam Livingstone, batting at five, scored 54 not out from 29 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes, and crafted a crucial 62-run partnership with Darren Sammy (30 off 20) to keep the chase alive after Zalmi had lost five wickets for 128 runs in 14.3 overs.
With 43 off 26 balls, Kamran Akmal was the other notable contributor with the bat as Zalmi scored 191 for seven in 20 overs. The opener struck five fours and two sixes.
Umaid and Chris Jordan equally shared four wickets between them for 23 and 39 runs. Mohamed Amir and Cameron Delport took a wicket each.
Earlier, Babar Azam and Imad Wasim scored half-centuries after Sammy, the Zalmi captain, opted to bowl first.
Babar, later named man of the match, scored 78 off 56, hitting seven fours and two sixes, and Imad smashed three fours and three sixes in his 30-ball 50. The pair crafted a solid 97-run partnership for the third-wicket.
Hasan Ali (two for 52) and Mohamed Mohsin (one for 35) were the wicket-takers for Peshawar Zalmi.
 
Sultans claim 
five-wicket win
Multan Sultans defeated Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the third match of the ongoing HBL PSL 2020 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium yesterday. 
Sultans, led by Shan Masood, chased down the 139-run target in 16.1 overs.
Opening the batting, Shan top-scored with 38 off 29 balls, with four fours and a six, in the run chase.
In the middle order, Rilee Rossouw made 32 off 28 and Shahid Afridi scored a quickfire 12-ball 21. Both batsmen struck two fours and a six each.
Earlier, Lahore Qalandars scored 138 runs for the loss of eight wickets after they were asked to bat.
The opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn provided Qalandars a solid start with a 59-run stand in 5.2 overs. Lynn, who hit four fours and three sixes, anchored the partnership by scoring 39 from 19 balls, while Fakhar made 19 off 14.
As Qalandars looked to have gained the momentum, Moeen Ali’s double-blow in the last Powerplay over turned the innings on its head as the off-spinner accounted for the wickets of both openers.
The wickets sparked a collapse as Qalandars lost their next four wickets for 44 runs. Qalandars captain, Sohail Akhtar, staged a recovery to take his side to a decent score. The right-handed batsman made 34 off 30 balls and struck three sixes and a four during his stay at the crease.
For Sultans, Imran Tahir and Mohamed Ilyas were the other bowlers with two wickets each next to their name.


Gladiators victorious in opener 
Mohammad Hasnain’s maiden four-wicket haul and Azam Khan’s first-ever half-century helped Quetta Gladiators to begin their title defence with a three-wicket win over Islamabad United in the opening match of the HBL PSL 2020 at Karachi’s National Stadium on Thursday. 
With 64 runs from 40 balls, Dawid Malan, who hit five fours and three sixes, was the top-scorer in Islamabad’s innings. Wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi, who opened the innings, had the second best score of the innings (23 off 13).
Quetta Gladiators chased down the target with nine balls spare as Azam, playing only his second T20, scored 59 off 33, hitting five fours and three sixes. 


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