The Karachi Kings defeated Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets in the sixth match of the 2018 Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Wednesday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
Kieron Pollard, Karachi’s platinum choice, excelled with the bat, leading the one-time PSL champions to a comfortable victory by comfortably chasing down the 155-run mark.
The batter’s strong blitz resulted in an unbeaten 49 off 21 balls, including four boundaries and as many maximums.
Pollard’s blitz secures Karachi Kings’ victory over Peshawar Zalmi
Kings began cautiously because the objective was not too large to chase, and they proceeded to play with the necessary run rate in mind.
Opener Mohammad Akhlaq played a fast knock, reaching 24 off just 13 balls, including three fours.
After Akhlaq’s departure, experienced batter Shoaib Malik came in and gave much-needed steadiness to the club, who were 40-2 in 4.3 overs.
Malik scored 29 off 29 before leaving for the pavilion, where James Vince and Pollard finished the job and secured the Kings’ first PSL 9 victory.
Vince scored 38 runs off 30 balls, with four boundaries, while Pollard scored 49 runs off 21 balls, with eight boundaries.
Wood claimed two wickets for the losing side, while Waqar Salamkheli took one.
Earlier in the first innings, the Kings’ bowlers caused all kinds of problems for Zalmi’s batters.
Zalmi were 40-3 after just 5.1 overs, but skipper Babar Azam remained on the crease and took charge of his team’s batting.
The 29-year-old partnered Rovman Powell for 68 runs, but the latter left after scoring 39.
Following Powell’s dismissal, hard-hitter Asif Ali came to bat and scored 23 off 16, but his rapid knock did not lift Zalmi to a competitive total, as they were all out for 154 runs in 19.5 overs.
Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali each took three wickets for the victorious side, while Daniel Sams claimed two. Mohammad Nawaz and Shoaib Malik chose one each.
