LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars were penalised for changing the condition of the ball in the final over as Karachi Kings handed them a four-wicket defeat on the fourth day of the Pakistan Super League 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. In the other match of the day, Shamyl Hussain collected the player of the match award in only his second appearance as Quetta Gladiators thumped Hyderabad Kingsmen by 40 runs.

On a day when allegations surfaced that the three-time defending champions had breached security protocols at the team hotel the previous evening, on-field umpires Sharfuddoula and Faisal Afridi changed the ball and awarded five penalty runs to Karachi Kings, reducing the target to nine runs off the final six balls.

New batter Abbas Afridi then slapped Haris Rauf for a four and a six – after Sikandar Raza had taken a sensational catch to dismiss Khushdil Shah – to seal the match for Karachi with three balls and four wickets to spare. On a slow wicket, Lahore had scored 128 for nine. Karachi, needing 23 from 12 balls before the penalty runs, finished at 131 for six in 19.3 overs.

The ball was changed in accordance with Article 41.3 of the PSL Playing Conditions. The on-field umpires will now report the matter to Match Referee Roshan Mahanama, “who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the player(s) concerned.”

Electing to bat first, Lahore had struggled to 128 for nine with Abdullah Shafique top-scoring with 33 (24b, 4×4, 1×6). Haseebullah batted resolutely for his 30-ball 28 as wickets fell around him.

For Karachi Kings, Adam Zampa was the standout bowler. His figures of 4-1-11-2 earned him the Player of the Match award. Mir Hamza and Moeen Ali also bowled well, picking up two wickets each, conceding 14 and 31 runs respectively.

In their run-chase, Karachi struggled against Lahore’s quality bowling and Shaheen Shah Afridi’s smart captaincy. Shaheen gave Lahore a glimmer of hope when he dismissed David Warner and Salman Ali Agha in his second over, before returning in his final over to remove Mohammad Waseem (38) and Moeen Ali (18) when they looked like taking the game away from Lahore.

However, Shaheen’s brilliant bowling was ultimately undermined by his side’s antics off it. In the end, Lahore lost not just the match but, more importantly, their overall behaviour – both on and off the field – came under the spotlight, which will be discussed and debated for days to come on the new and traditional media.

SHAMYL CONTINUES TO IMPRESS

Shamyl Hussain followed up his 21-ball half-century on debut with the Player of the Match performance in his second appearance as Quetta Gladiators comfortably defeated Hyderabad Kingsmen by 40 runs.

Shamyl scored a 41-ball 54 with three fours and three sixes, and featured in an 89-run third-wicket partnership off 64 balls with Hasan Nawaz, who scored a 40-ball 53 with two fours and three sixes. Both Shamyl and Hasan completed their half-centuries from 36 balls each.

Tom Curran was the other Gladiators batter to reach double figures of note, striking 31 off 18 balls with one four and three sixes, as the champions of 2019 limped to 174 for eight after electing to bat first. Extras chipped in with 11 as the fourth notable contributor.

Kingsmen bowlers showed the ability to contain runs but lacked the wicket-taking threat this match demanded. Their new-ball pair of fast bowler Riley Meredith (3-38) and off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana (2-24) shared five wickets between them, while Akif Javed took two for 25.

After reaching 45 for two in the PowerPlay and 78 for two at the halfway stage, Gladiators collected 51 runs in the last five overs — a margin that ultimately proved decisive.

Hyderabad were always chasing the game after slipping to 51 for five by the 10th over. A sixth-wicket stand of 48 off 32 balls between Mohammad Irfan Khan (33) and Hassan Khan (31) narrowed the gap but never threatened to close it.

Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed caused maximum damage with three for 23, including two wickets in the first half of the innings. Fast bowler Ahmed Daniyal bagged two for 13, while Saud Shakeel, Usman Tariq and Alzarri Joseph took one wicket each.

Scores in brief:

Match 5 – Quetta Gladiators beat Hyderabad Kingsmen by 40 runs

QUETTA GLADIATORS 174-8, 20 overs (Shamyl Hussain 54, Hasan Nawaz 53, Tom Curran 31; Riley Meredith 3-38, Maheesh Theekshana 2-24, Akif Javed 2-25)

HYDERABAD KINGSMEN 134-8, 20 overs (Mohammad Irfan Khan 33, Hassan Khan 31, Marnus Labuschagne 23; Abrar Ahmed 3-23, Ahmed Daniyal 2-13)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Shamyl Hussain (Quetta Gladiators)

Match 6 – Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars by four wickets

LAHORE QALANDARS 128-9, 20 overs (Abdullah Shafique 33, Haseebullah Khan 28, Sikandar Raza 19; Adam Zampa 2-11, Mir Hamza 2-14, Moeen Ali 2-31)

KARACHI KINGS 131-6, 19.3 overs (Muhammad Waseem 38, Saad Baig 19, Moeen Ali 18, Azam Khan 14 not out, Khushdil Shah 13, Abbas Afridi 10 not out; Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-18

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Adam Zampa (Karachi Kings)

TUESDAY’S FIXTURE: Islamabad United vs Peshawar Zalmi, Lahore