Babar-led Karachi Kings' PSL rut continues as Jason Roy wallops sizzling 82 in Quetta Gladiators' 23-run victory

SportsTak

The destroyer in chief Jason Roy belted an exceptional 82 to hand Babar Azam-led Karachi Kings their ninth loss of the PSL 2021-2022 season on Sunday (February 20). Khurram Shahzad played the second fiddle with a brilliant 4/22 to stifle Karachi by 23 runs.

 

Chasing a competitive target of 167, Karachi's openers Joe Clarke and skipper Babar Azam a good start and stitched together a partnership of 87 runs. Babar seemed to have found his lost touch with a 36 off 34 which was loaded with three boundaries and one six but soon was sent to the hut by Khurram Shahzad. On the other hand, Clarke kept the scoreboard running until he was removed by Mohammed Irfan after an impressive knock of 52 off 39.


Shahzad took his second wicket in the 13th over when he sent aggressive Sharjeel Khan back to the pavilion. Khan added 16 runs to the scoreboard off just seven deliveries with one four and two sixes. Qasim Akram contributed just nine runs in the team’s total. Right after that Quetta bowlers took no time to sum up Karachi innings for 143/8.


Earlier, Gladiators’ skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to bat first against Kings. Opener Will Smeed could not deliver in the match and lost his wicket after making just 10 runs off 11 deliveries. Kings pacer Usman Khan Shinwari drew first blood for his team.


After Smeed’s dismissal Jason Roy and James Vince shared over a 60-run partnership. James Vince added 29 runs to the scoreboard off 24 balls with three fours and one six before being dismissed. Umar Akmal went to the pavilion after making just two runs.

 

It was Iftikhar Ahmed and Roy’s partnership at the backend of the innings helped Quetta set a 167-run target for Kings.

Englishman Jason Roy remained the top scorer for Gladiators with 82 runs off 64 deliveries with 11 bounders. In its innings, Gladiators made 166 runs at the loss of four wickets.

 

While, Kings’ Imad Wasim, Mir Hamza, Usman Khan Shinwari and Lewis Gregory took one wicket each.

Gladiators currently have 8 points from 10 games and the victory have put them at the level of Islamabad United, who have 8 points from nine games, in the points table.