Karachi Kings thrashed a hapless Lahore Qalandars by 10 wickets during their PSL 5 clash at the National Stadium in Karachi on Thursday.
The Qalandars were never on song and Sharjeel and Babar took advantage of that right from the start.
Sharjeel scored an impressive 74 runs from 59 balls, smashing five 6s and an equal number of 4s. Babar provide support from the other end, scoring 67 from 45 balls, hitting eight 4s and a six during his innings.
The Kings began their batting after an impressive show put up by its bowlers. Sharjeel and Babar put on a solid partnership to ensure Karachi were in the driving seat of the match.
The Lahore Qalandars have set a 151-run target for their opponents Karachi Kings to pursue in the crucial PSL 2020 match between the two sides at the National Stadium.
Both teams are vying for a spot in the final four and the outcome of the match will improve the victor's odds to cement a place.
The Kings had won the toss and opted to field, sending in the Qalandars to set the match total.
Sohail Akhtar and Fakhar Zaman opened the innings with the former scoring 68 off 49 balls before being dismissed at 14.1 overs off a leg-before-wicket delivery by Arshad Iqbal.
Zaman managed to score 17 off 13 deliveries. He was the first wicket to go at 4.1 overs off Umaid Asif's ball.
Mohammad Hafeez — who was still standing at the end of the innings — was the only other major contributor, adding 35 runs to the total off 22 deliveries.
The remaining three wickets claimed by the Qalandars were those of Chris Lynn, Ben Dunk, and Samit Patel who each added a paltry 5, 9, and 5 runs, respectively, to the scoreboard.
The Kings' Umaid Asif and Arshad Iqbal captured two wickets each while Chris Jordan claimed one.
The squads
Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Sohail Akhtar*, CA Lynn, BR Dunk, Faizan Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, SR Patel, D Wiese, Dilbar Hussain, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf,
Karachi Kings: Sharjeel Khan, Babar Azam, AD Hales, Arshad Iqbal, Umaid Asif, Iftikhar Ahmed, CAK Walton, Imad Wasim*, Mohammad Amir, CJ Jordan, Usama Mir,
