DUBAI: Ahmed Shehzad made an aggressive 71 as Quetta Gladiators recorded a eight-wicket against Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League group match here at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday.

Shehzad was involved in a 92-run opening stand with Luke Wright (47) as Quetta hunted down Karachi’s total of 147 with 16 balls to spare.

This was Gladiators’ second consecutive win in the tournament.

Wright received a huge reprieve on the second ball of the chase when he was beaten on the cut to a Imad Wasim arm-ball. The umpire was misled by the possibility of the ball having hit bat first. Replays showed otherwise.

Shoaib Malik’s ploy to begin with two left-arm spinners didn’t work as Shakib Al Hasan was repeatedly hit through the in-field square on the off side. Mohammad Amir was seen off as Quetta added 39 in the first six.

A 16-run over from Shakib was followed by another of spin, from Malik, that went for 14 as Shehzad and Wright began using their feet to the spinners with aplomb. Malik rotated his bowlers around but to no avail.

The most economical of Karachi’s spinners, Imad, eventually ended the 92-run opening stand, when Wright attempted to get to his second 50 of the tournament with consecutive sixes but fell to a superb catch in the deep from Nauman Anwar.

Shehzad, however, got to his and continued to play his shots before falling with only 10 runs left to get.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators’ captain Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and elected to bowl first.

The decision paid off as Karachi lost opener Nauman Anwar (0) early, dismissed by Anwar Ali, at the total of 5. Lendl Simmons (11 off 19) didn’t last long and was caught by Anwar off left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, as the Kings were 30-2.

They were in further trouble at 69-4, losing two more wickets (James Vince for 30 and Shakib for 17).

Malik (37 off 25) and Ravi Bopara (40 off 29) then added a vital 69 runs before the latter was caught by Saad Nasim off Anwar. Malik was run out.

Anwar (2-33) and Mohammad Nabi (2-32) were the main wicket-takers and Nawaz was very economical (1-19 in four overs). Umar Gul (0-41) was too expensive while Zulfiqar Babar (0-18) kept the opposition in check.

Scoreboard

KARACHI KINGS:

L.M.P. Simmons c Anwar b Nawaz 11

Nauman Anwar c Zulfiqar b Anwar 0

J.M. Vince st Sarfraz b Nabi 30

Shakib Al Hasan b Nabi 17

Shoaib Malik run out 37

R.S. Bopara c sub b Anwar 40

Imad Wasim run out 0

Sohail Tanvir not out 1

Iftikhar Ahmed not out 0

EXTRAS (b-4, w-6, nb-1) 11

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 147

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-30, 3-53, 4-69, 5-138, 6-145, 7-146.

DID NOT BAT: Saifullah Khan Bangash, Mohammad Amir.

BOWLING: Anwar Ali 4-0-33-2 (4w); Zulfiqar Babar 4-1-18-0; Umar Gul 4-0-41-0 (1nb, 1w); Mohammad Nawaz 4-0-19-1; Mohammad Nabi 4-0-32-2 (1w).

QUETTA GLADIATORS:

L.J. Wright c Nauman b Imad 47

Ahmed Shehzad c Imad b Shakib 71

K.P. Pietersen not out 29

Sarfraz Ahmed not out 2

EXTRAS (W-4) 4

TOTAL (for two wkts, 17.2 overs) 153

FALL OF WKTS: 1-92, 2-138.

DID NOT BAT: Akbar-ur-Rehman, E. Chigumbura, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Nabi, Anwar Ali, Umar Gul, Zulfiqar Babar.

BOWLING: Imad Wasim 4-0-31-1; Shakib Al Hasan 4-0-43-1 (1w); Mohammad Amir 3-0-20-0 (1w); Sohail Tanvir 3-0-24-0; Shoaib Malik 2-0-20-0 (2w); Bopara 1-0-8-0; Iftikhar Ahmed 0.2-0-7-0.

RESULT: Quetta Gladiators won by eight wickets.

UMPIRES: Rashid Riaz (Pakistan) and Shozab Raza (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: J.S. Wilson (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees (Pakistan).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Ahmed Shehzad.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2016