Qalandars knock out Kings in first eliminator to stay alive in HBL PSL X

Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, and Haris Rauf starred as Lahore Qalandars kept their HBL PSL X hopes alive with a six-wicket win over Karachi Kings in the first Eliminator at Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday night.

Shafique scored 65 and Fakhar added 47 to help Lahore chase down the 191-run target with eight balls remaining and four wickets lost.

Earlier, Haris Rauf took 3-35 in his four overs to restrict Karachi to 190-8.

Lahore will now face Islamabad United in the second Eliminator on Friday at the same venue. Quetta Gladiators have already secured a place in Sunday’s final.

Chasing a tough total, Fakhar Zaman gave Qalandars a solid start. He dominated an opening stand of 42 with Mohammad Naeem, who made 14 off 12 balls, including a six and a four.

Fakhar then added 33 runs with Abdullah Shafique for the second wicket before falling to young pacer Fawad Ali, caught by Mohammad Nabi in the deep. Fakhar’s 28-ball knock included three sixes and five fours, with 16 runs coming off Fawad’s sixth over.

Shafique and Kusal Perera built a key 83-run stand off 45 balls for the third wicket. Shafique, who reached his third fifty of the season from 29 balls, hit five sixes and three fours in his 35-ball 65. He was particularly dominant in the 15th over, smashing Abbas Afridi for two massive sixes in an over that went for 17.

Perera, who was the last man out, scored 30 off 24 balls with two sixes and a four. He shared a 26-run fourth-wicket partnership with Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who sealed the win with a six off Mir Hamza.

Hasan Ali impressed with 2-37 in four overs. Fawad Ali took 1-27 and Mir Hamza claimed 1-32.

Earlier, Karachi Kings skipper David Warner led from the front with a resilient 52-ball 75 after opting to bat first on a green pitch.

He smashed eight fours and three sixes, guiding his team to a competitive 190-8. Warner shared 43 runs off 24 balls with Tim Seifert for the opening stand. Seifert fell for 16 off eight balls, caught by Asif Ali at deep square-leg off Shaheen Afridi.

Karachi then lost quick wickets. Shakib Al Hasan removed James Vince for 4, while Haris Rauf dismissed Saad Baig (11), leaving Kings at 99-3 in the 11th over.

Mohammad Irfan Khan Niazi added a valuable 38-run stand with Warner for the fourth wicket. Irfan made 18 off 12 balls, hitting one six before being caught by Rajapaksa at backward point off Zaman Khan.

Part-time spinner Mohammad Naeem removed Warner, who was caught sweeping at short fine-leg by Zaman. Warner had earlier been dropped by Rauf and struck two sixes and a four off Zaman in an over that went for 20 runs. He completed his third fifty of the season off 33 balls.

Khushdil Shah scored a quick-fire 27 not out off 14 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours. Mohammad Nabi chipped in with 16 off 10 balls, including a six and a four.

Despite some sloppy fielding, Lahore’s bowlers did enough. Rauf finished with 3-35, and skipper Shahid Afridi took 2-47. Zaman Khan was expensive, conceding 49 runs in four overs for one wicket. Naeem, better known for his batting, bowled economically and ended with 1-15 in three overs.

Karachi were 70-1 after the powerplay and reached 93-2 at the 10-over mark. They moved to 140-4 in 15 overs and added 50 more in the final five.