LAHORE: The 10th match of PSL 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium was another high-scoring thriller as Karachi Kings chased down 197 to defeat RawalPindiz by five wickets with four balls to spare. The victory, powered by a breathtaking innings from Azam Khan and calm from David Warner, propelled Karachi to the top of the points table with six points from three wins. Karachi hammered 199 for the loss of five wickets in 19.2 overs.
After being put in to bat, RawalPindiz posted 197/6 in 20 overs, thanks to a superb fourth-wicket stand between Daryl Mitchell and Sam Billings. The pair added 120 runs in 69 balls, rescuing their side from early trouble.
Daryl Mitchell struck 65 off 41 balls (5 fours, 3 sixes), reaching his 28th T20 half-century in 33 balls. Sam Billings was equally fluent, scoring 58 off 35 balls (8 fours, 1 six), bringing up his 37th T20 fifty in 29 deliveries.
Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan (21 off 13) provided a brisk start, but wickets fell regularly as Karachi’s bowlers struck back. Hasan Ali was the standout, taking 3/24 in 4 overs, while Khushdil Shah chipped in with 2/37. Despite late cameos from Abdullah Fazal (18 not out off 7), RawalPindiz’s total, though formidable, was not enough against Karachi’s batting firepower.
Karachi’s reply began aggressively with Muhammad Waseem smashing 23 off 11 balls before falling in the third over. David Warner, steady and composed, anchored the innings with 50 off 36 balls (6 fours, 1 six), marking his 116th T20 half-century. He shared a crucial 76-run stand with Azam Khan, which set the platform for the chase.
The spotlight, however, belonged to Azam Khan, who played one of the finest innings of his career. He blasted 74 off just 34 balls, hammering 6 fours and 6 sixes. His knock was not without drama—he was dropped three times, first by Rishad Hossain on 36, then by Mohammad Amir on 37, and again by Rishad on 65. Each reprieve proved costly as Azam punished RawalPindiz with relentless hitting, reaching his 17th T20 half-century in 28 balls.
Despite losing Warner at 146/3 in the 16th over, Azam continued to dominate, ensuring Karachi stayed ahead of the required rate. His dismissal in the 19th over briefly opened the door for RawalPindiz, but Khushdil Shah (5 not out) and Abbas Afridi (6 not out off 1, including a six) sealed the chase with composure.
RawalPindiz’s bowlers failed to contain Karachi’s middle order. Daryl Mitchell was the most successful, claiming 3/32 in 3.2 overs. Naseem Shah picked up 1/26 in 2.2 overs, while Mohammad Amir bowled economically early but finished with 1/38 in 4 overs. Others, including Mohammad Amir Khan (44 in 4 overs) and Rishad Hossain (38 in 4 overs), leaked runs under pressure.
The dropped catches of Azam Khan proved decisive, turning what could have been a defendable total into a missed opportunity. The defining moment of the match was Azam Khan’s survival after three dropped chances. Each reprieve allowed him to continue his assault, and his partnership with Warner effectively broke RawalPindiz’s resistance. By the time Azam fell, Karachi needed just 10 runs from 10 balls, a task comfortably completed.
