Lahore Qalanders 125 for eight off 20 overs (Rizwan 37, Amir 3-27)
Karachi Kings 131 for three off 15.5 overs (Simmons 62 not out, Shakib 51)
Karachi Kings won by seven wickets
DUBAI // The organisers of the HBL Pakistan Super League could have saved themselves the whole of their marketing budget.
They should have just sat down with Mohammed Amir and his script writers, seen what they had in store, and run with it.
The last time Amir played competitive cricket in the UAE, he stole a nation’s hearts as a fresh-faced teenager, apparently refusing to accept defeat in a one-day international for Pakistan against New Zealand.
History will show he burned his credit, and plenty more besides, shortly after he had announced himself as one of the sport’s brightest young gems.
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Starting a new page at the Dubai International Stadium, he began to claw a little bit back. In so doing, he provided the PSL with the sort of compelling storyline that trumps any number of fireworks shows, or Ali Zafar and Sean Paul gigs.
In a derby match between two new teams, but age-old rivals, Amir picked up a hat-trick for Karachi Kings to thwart Lahore Qalanders’ late bid for runs.
In truth, it had felt as though the Kings had a decent grip on the game anyway, but Amir’s piece of theatre was a seminal moment, both for the match and the tournament as a whole.
From 117 for four, the Qalanders could only stutter to 125 for eight from their 20 overs.
Given the amount of turn the pitch has taken in the two matches that have been played on it at the start of the PSL, that might have been a tricky chase. Even more so once Nauman Anwar and James Vince had both been returned to the dressing room with just four runs on the board.
All that meant, though, was Lendl Simmons and Shakib Al Hasan had more time to get to know each other in the middle.
The two Kings overseas players shared a dapper alliance. Both made half-centuries in a stand worth 109, as the Karachi franchise registered a comprehensive opening win.
Riaz inspires Peshawar
Different format, same result for Wahab Riaz. In fact, the prevailing conditions could scarcely have been different for the fast-bowler, as he reprised his heroics from Pakistan’s Test series against England from the end of last year.
Switching from cricket’s oldest format to its newest and fastest competition, Wahab was a match-winner again as his three wickets paved the way for Peshawar Zalmi’s 24-run win over Islamabad United.
The weather was far cooler than when he did for England. There were people here to watch this effort, though. They came in droves for Day 2 of the HBL Pakistan Super League.
Over the course of the day’s two matches, the stands were at their fullest when Shahid Afridi was at the crease batting for Zalmi.
His stay was only brief, though. Afridi made 16 before skying a caught and bowled opportunity to Andre Russell, the West Indian pace bowler who took three wickets.
Only Tamim Iqbal managed better than that among the Zalmi batsmen. The Bangladeshi opener made 51, but the fact it came at a rate of a mere run a ball was a clue to the fact batting was never easy.
That point was emphasised by the fact Islamabad, who fell to a second defeat in successive nights, never threatened to chase their target of 146 to win.
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