Kings beat Qalandars by 5 wkts

DUBAI: The Karachi Kings beaten Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in an important match on Saturday at Dubai.

Babar Azam was the top scorer for Kings made 49 runs from 42 balls but Kieron Pollard of West Indies played in an edgy atmosphere and survived till last ball. Poolard scored 45 runs from 20 balls and played a winning by hitting sixer.

Sohail Tanvir and Fakhar Zaman contributed one wicket each for Qalandars. The interesting fascination of the match was that three run out were made by Qalandars.

Earlier, the Lahore Qalandars posted 155 runs on the board, losing six wickets against Karachi Kings.

Qalandars lost their opener Cameron Delport on 3 in the first over of the game, after a brilliant caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara at Muhammad Amir delivery.

Skipper Brendon McCullum and Fakhar Zaman, then mitigated the early loss sharing a brisk 36 run stand. The partnership was broken after Fakhar cut an angled delivery by Sohail Khan and sending it straight to Imad Wasim on 19.

McCullum was next to go on 31, after he sliced Usama Mir ball up for Babar Azam positioned at long-on to take it.

Qalandars continued to lose wickets at regular intervals; Sunil Narine who was brought up the batting order perished at 16 to Shoaib Malik after the West Indian got caught by Imad Wasim at backward point.

Umar Akmal was next to depart at 20, after he top edged on Usamas delivery and was caught by Babar Azam. Kiwi hitter, Grant Elliot too went cheaply on 2, after he top edged to Malik and was caught by Usman Khan.

Some late hitting provided by Muhammad Rizwan and Sohail Tanvir ticked Qalandars to 155 runs, the duo shared a 55 runs partnership.

For Kings, Shoaib Malik and Usama Mir bagged two wickets a piece, while Muhammad Amir and Sohail Khan picked one wicket each.