Karachi Kings edged past Lahore Qalandars by four wickets in a tense, low-scoring Pakistan Super League clash at the Gaddafi Stadium, with the result decided in the final over. Despite the defeat, Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman delivered another disciplined performance with the ball.
After winning the toss, Lahore opted to bat first but failed to build momentum. Fakhar Zaman fell early for 1, while Mohammad Naeem managed 13 off 12 balls.
Abdullah Shafique provided brief stability with a composed 33 off 24 deliveries, but wickets fell regularly around him. Parvez Hossain Emon once again failed to make an impact, scoring 12 off 12 balls before departing.
Haseebullah Khan (28 off 30) and Sikandar Raza (19 off 21) attempted to anchor the innings, but the lower order collapsed, leaving Lahore on 128 for 9 in their 20 overs.
Karachi’s bowling effort was shared, with Moeen Ali, Mir Hamza, and Adam Zampa taking two wickets each. Hasan Ali, Salman Agha, and Abbas Afridi chipped in with one apiece.
Karachi’s chase got off to a shaky start as captain David Warner (8) and Salman Ali Agha fell early to Shaheen Shah Afridi. At 27 for 2 after the powerplay, the match was finely poised.
Mustafizur Rahman made an immediate impact, removing Saad Baig for 19 in his first over while conceding just one run. He maintained tight control throughout his spell, finishing with impressive figures of 1 for 20 from four overs.
Mohammad Wasim steadied the innings with 38 off 37 balls, while Moeen Ali added 18. Azam Khan and Khushdil Shah kept Karachi in contention heading into the final over.
Karachi required 14 runs off the final over bowled by Haris Rauf. However, a five-run penalty for ball tampering reduced the target to 9 from 6 balls.
Rauf struck immediately, dismissing Khushdil Shah, but Abbas Afridi turned the game around. A boundary brought the equation down to 4 off 4 balls, before Abbas sealed victory with a six, taking Karachi to 131 for 6 in 19.3 overs.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was the standout bowler for Lahore with figures of 4 for 18, while Mustafizur Rahman and Haris Rauf claimed one wicket each.
