Kings down Sultans to claim maiden victory in PSL4

Karachi Kings have defeated Multan Sultans by seven runs in the second match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League in Dubai.

While chasing a target of 184 runs, Sultans were restricted to 176-9 in their allotted 20 overs.

Sultans could not get going at any stage of the innings which made the target a difficult one to chase down.

Skipper Shoaib Malik top-scored with 52 runs off 28 balls — an innings which included five fours and two sixes. His knock brought Sultans back in the game but it was not enough to get Sultans over the line.  

Laurie Evans also played a decent hand with 49 runs off 39 balls.

For Kings, pacer Mohammad Amir was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets for 25 runs.

Earlier Kings posted 183-6 in their allotted 20 overs, after skipper Imad Wasim won the toss and elected to bat first.

At one stage it seemed that Kings would post a total in excess of 200, after a brilliant 157-run opening stand between Babar Azam and Liam Livingstone. But Kings’ innings remained bereft of momentum and boundaries towards the latter stage of their innings.

Livingstone top-scored with 82 runs off 43 balls — an innings which included six fours and similar number of sixes. Meanwhile Azam scored 77 runs off 59 balls.

None of the other Kings batsmen managed to reach double figures.

For Sultans, off-spinner Chris Green was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 32 runs.

Pacer Junaid Khan and all-rounder Andre Russell claimed one wicket each.