DUBAI: Karachi Kings started their PSL 2018 campaign on a winning note by beating Quetta Gladiators convincingly in 2nd Match of PSL-3 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Karachi Kings' decision to bat raised eyebrows twice - firstly, when they ambled to 60 for 2 in the first 10 overs, and secondly when they lost their six wickets for 13 runs. But what they did in between eventually proved enough at the end, as their bowling attack - led by captain Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Tymal Mills - ensured that a 150 chase was a bridge too far for Quetta Gladiators.
That Karachi got to 149 was largely due to Colin Ingram, whose 21-ball 41 injected momentum into what had been a lethargic innings up to that point. Karachi's troubles were mainly due to Shane Watson's canny bowling, which saw him pick up three scalps to reach 200 wickets in T20 cricket. Along with Joffra Archer, the flavour of the season, and Anwar Ali, Watson choked the flow of runs. Ingram and Ravi Bopara, though, counterpunched their way through the middle overs with a 48-run stand in 4.3 overs and gave their team the insurance that mitigated their collapse later on.
Quetta had slumped to 15 for 3 inside the first five overs and never really recovered. There were spurts of spunk from Umar Amin (31) and Mohammad Nawaz, whose 30 off 20 balls kept his side in the hunt. But, with 37 required off 17 balls, Amir induced a faint inside edge to have Nawaz caught behind and quash the possibility of any late uprising. Earlier, with Shahid Afridi also having chipped in with an outstanding catch at the boundary to remove Amin, Quetta, which doesn't possess the most robust middle order, entered the final phase in an even more depleted position.
Karachi successfully defended their target of 150, restricting Quetta to 130-9 to claim a 19-run victory in their season opener.
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