Speed maestro Usman Khan Shinwari brought Karachi Kings on victory stand in the nerve-wracking game of the HBL PSL second match of last eight matches played in the National Cricket Stadium on Sunday. In the must win match for Karachi Kings, Quetta Gladiators needing five runs to win in the last chasing a target of 191 but Usman Shinwari bagged three wickets and gave just three runs, propelling Karachi to a one-run win. Quetta Gladiators lost after reaching 189. After this result, the Karachi Kings qualified for the playoff stage of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2019.
Karachi Kings after being asked to bat first had a solid start as openers Babar Azam and Colin Munro put on a 69-run stand at the first wicket before the latter departed after scoring 30 off 26. Liam Livingstone scored five runs before being sent back to the pavilion.
Colin Ingram came to the crease and struck 24 off 10 balls. Azam's innings came to an end after he scored 56 off 46 balls with six boundaries and a maximum to his name.
Iftikhar Ahmed's late 44-run knock took the Karachi Kings to a competitive total of 190-5 in 20 overs. The Gladiators started their run-chase in a similar fashion as openers Shane Watson and Ahmed Shehzad scored a 68-run partnership on the first wicket. Shane Watson was the first to be dismissed as he got out on spinner Umer Khan's bowling after scoring 20 off 15 deliveries.
The youngster then went on to take the wicket of Rilee Rossouw. Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad made together 45 runs for the third wicket before the former was dismissed on 27 while Dwayne Bravo contributed just nine runs to the scoreboard.