RAWALPINDI: Experienced opener Martin Guptill played a magnificent 86-run knock under pressure and bolstered Quetta Gladiators to edge Karachi in a low-scoring thriller.
Put into bat first, the Karachi Kings managed to accumulate a decent total on the board against Quetta Gladiators at the back of Rossington’s anchoring fifty, followed by a late onslaught by Yamin and Imad.
Earlier, the Karachi Kings got off to an unwanted start and lost their hard-hitting opening batter, Matthew Wade, for a golden duck on the first bowl of the innings, courtesy of a beautiful outswinger by fast bowler Naseem Shah.
Tayyab Tahir looked to settle things down as he managed a crucial 25-run partnership with Rossington, but Aimal Khan struck in his first over for Gladiators to send him back to the pavilion.
With Karachi Kings losing two wickets in the first powerplay, Rossington stood firm for his team and put on a much-needed third-wicket partnership with Qasim Akram.
Rossington was the main aggressor of the 33-run partnership while Qasim was holding his ground firm until Aimal dismissed him to draw a third success for the Gladiators. Qasim could score eight off ten deliveries.
The Karachi Kings then dealt a major blow in the 12th over Mohammad Nawaz dismissed experienced Shoaib Malik, who scored 13 off 15.
Kings’ in-form skipper Imad Wasim then joined Rossington in the middle and scripted an astounding recovery for his side as the pair took the Gladiators’ bowlers to the cleaners.
Naveen-ul-Haq, however, provided Gladiators with a much-needed breakthrough in the 17th over when he removed Rossington with a short-pitch delivery.
The wicketkeeper batter top-scored for the Kings with a 45-ball 69, which featured 10 boundaries and a six.
The Kings then lost another wicket in the next over when Naseem castled James Fuller with a ruthless yorker and pushed the opposition into trouble.
However, an astonishing seventh-wicket partnership between Yamin and Imad, bolstered Kings to a respectable total of 164/6 as the pair dominated the Gladiators’ bowlers at the backend.
The duo raised brisk 33 runs in the last 15 balls of the innings, with Yamin leading the charge with his magnificent unbeaten cameo of 23 in 11 deliveries, laced up with a boundary and two sixes.
Imad, on the other hand, once again carried his bat all the way through, as he remained unbeaten on a 20-ball 30, which included three boundaries and a six.
Naseem and Aimal led the bowling attack of the Gladiators with two wickets each, while Nawaz and Naveen picked up a wicket each.
Quetta Gladiators Playing XI
Martin Guptill, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sarfaraz Ahmed (c), Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Umar Akmal, Dwaine Pretorius, Naseem Shah, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Hasnain, Naveen-ul-Haq.
Karachi Kings Playing XI
Matthew Wade, Adam Rossington, Tayyab Tahir, Qasim Akram, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim (c), James Fuller, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Amir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mohammad Musa
