DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, CMC – Kieron Pollard struck a cameo but Chris Gayle fizzled, as Karachi Kings lost their opening game of the Pakistan Super League with a seven-wicket defeat to the Darren Sammy-led Peshawar Zalmi here yesterday. Sent in at the Dubai International Stadium, Kings slumped to 12 for four in the fifth over before recovering to reach 118 for seven off their allotted 20 overs.
The recovery was due largely to Shoaib Malik’s top score of 44 off 36 deliveries while Ravi Bopara got 33 and Pollard chipped in with an unbeaten 27.
Shoaib and Bopara added 59 for the fifth wicket before Pollard arrived to slam two fours and two sixes in a 14-ball cameo, in dominating a 24-run sixth wicket stand with Bopara. Gayle, who opened the batting, made just two from nine balls before he was lbw to off-spinner Mohammed Hafeez in the fifth over.
Barbados-born England seamer Chris Jordan finished with one for 21 from his three overs.
In reply, Zalmi strolled to their target in the penultimate over with England limited overs captain Eion Morgan stroking an unbeaten 80 off 57 balls.
In the other game played at the venue, Sunil Narine’s all-round efforts were not enough to prevent Quetta Gladiators from notching an eight-run victory over Lahore Qalanders. The off-spinner was brilliant in taking two for 16 from his four overs as Gladiators, sent in, made 136 for nine with South African Rilee Roussouw top-scoring with 60. Qalanders were then tottering on 77 for six in the 13th over before Narine lashed three sixes in a 15-ball 26 – in a 40-run stand for the seventh wicket with New Zealander Grant Elliott (26).
But with 22 runs required from the last four overs, Qalanders panicked to lose their last four wickets for 11 runs.
In Thursday’s opening game, former Barbados and West Indies opener Dwayne Smith smashed 55 to help Islamabad United chase down 173 and beat Zalmi by seven wickets under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
