Quetta Gladiators ease to victory over Karachi Kings

Naseem Shah took a five-for as Karachi Kings were bowled out for 113 before an unbeaten half-century from Ahsan Ali saw the Gladiators home with 25 balls to spare

Karachi: Karachi Kings 113, Quetta Gladiators 114-2 – Quetta Gladiators won by eight wickets

Quetta Gladiators picked up their first points of the 2022 Pakistan Super League after completing a routine eight-wicket win over Karachi Kings.

Pace bowler Naseem Shah put the Gladiators on track for victory, producing career-best figures of 5 for 20 to help dismiss Karachi Kings for 113.

Ahsan Ali then scored his second half-century in as many matches to steer his side home with 25 balls to spare, finishing unbeaten on 57.

Batting first, the Kings were on the back foot from the off, with Sohail Tanvir removing Sharjeel Khan and Joe Clarke in the third over.

Shah struck twice in two balls in the fifth to dismiss Tom Lammonby and Mohammad Nabi and soon picked up a third, bowling Lewis Gregory for five. Mohammad Taha also departed in the first half of the innings, removed by substitute fielder Luke Wood off the bowling of Mohammad Nawaz, as Karachi Kings limped to 55 for 6 at drinks.

^{Ahsan Ali celebrates his half-century (Asif Hassan/AFP via Getty Images)}

Babar Azam, who top-scored for his side with 32 (29), and Aamer Yamin added 23 for the seventh wicket before the former was dismissed by Mohammad Hasnain in the 12th over to leave his side 69 for 7.

Karachi’s tail wagged somewhat thanks to Yamin (20 off 10) and Imad Wasim (26 off 22) but it was too little, too late. James Faulkner removed the Yamin in the 13th over before Shah wrapped up the innings inside 18 overs with the wickets of Mohammad Ilyas and Wasim.

In reply, Ahsan Ali and Will Smeed once again worked their magic at the top of the order. Whilst they didn’t quite reach the heights of their 155-run partnership against Peshawar Zalmi, the pair enjoyed a 76-run stand off 68 balls to put the Gladiators in a commanding position.

Smeed was dismissed by Mohammad Imran (caught Lammonby) for 30 (35) in the 12th over and was soon joined in the shed by Ben Duckett, who was runout by Clarke and Gregory for two.

However, with just 31 runs required from 33 balls, it made no difference to the outcome of the match.

Ahsan Ali, unbeaten on 57 off 43 balls, and Sarfaraz Ahmed (16 off nine) needed just 14 balls to complete the chase, with the latter sealing the deal with three consecutive fours in the 16th over.

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