Recent Match Report – Kings vs Qalandars 27th Game 2020 / 21-2021

Report

The Karachi Kings feared the deaths of James Faulkner and Tim David, but held on to keep their qualifying hopes alive

Kings of karachi 176 for 5 (Azam 54, Guptill 43, Rashid 2-25) beat Lahore Qalandars 169 for 7 (Hafeez 36, David 34, Ahmad 2-19) by seven points

There has been almost one repeat of Lahore Qalandars’ stunning victory over the Karachi Kings earlier this season, but this time the Kings have held firm, keeping their playoff hopes alive with a 7-point victory over their biggest. rivals.

This was largely thanks to a sensational bowling effort, led by Afghan teenager Noor Ahmad, whose 4-0-19-2 numbers derailed Lahore’s pursuit at a time when the game was on the line. That didn’t mean the game was over, though, with an astonishing assault from Tim David and James Faulkner at the end, briefly bringing the Qalandars to the brink of victory. But when they pulled out, the Kings regained control, and despite a brief scare from Rashid Khan in the final, the Kings eventually found themselves in a situation even though they couldn’t inflate.

The Kings had won the draw and opted to strike, perhaps supported by the way the previous game went, where Islamabad United racked up 247 in the opening innings. The innings started off somewhat unsteadily and stammered throughout, with the Kings never quite able to pick up the pace when needed, but most importantly, never slowing down either. Qalandars was particularly prodigious on the pitch, dropping Babar Azam no less than three times, and while the Kings star hitter wasn’t close to his best, his 44-ball 54 helped build a platform that carried his team at 176. Martin Guptill on the other end it was smoother, and the two combined for an 88-point partnership that ensured the Kings didn’t have to worry about wickets as they pursued a final blossoming.

Lahore started off the chase casually, with Fakhar Zaman dropping some six from Imad Wasim on the first lap, but the wheels quickly came loose. Mohammad Ilyas got rid of Sohail Akhtar early before Noor started strangling the hitters. The demand rate had inflated beyond 16 when he finished his spell, but lack of focus with the ball allowed David and Faulkner to work their way into a 24-ball partnership that added 58 points and left Qalandars needing 27 out of two. However, Abbas Afridi made David lose the hole, and Qalandars ultimately lost the fight.

Noor’s teenage dream

It is impossible not to be amazed by the magnitude of the talent of Noor Ahmad, embodied in the frame of a 16-year-old boy, light and unpretentious. When he was brought in to seventh place, Qalandars was late in the game, but it was the Afghan teenager who blew them out of the water. He played with Mohammad Hafeez – a man who made his debut before Noor was born – in the first round, keeping him honest with a quirky and unplayable mix of googlies, fins and conventional left arm legpin. But it wasn’t until the end of her third upgrade that the rewards for her skills started appearing in the ticket windows column. Ben Dunk, who had been beaten by a stupendous turn off the previous ball, was first caught by Azam as he looked to play with the turn.

The icing on the cake came with the last bullet of his spell, however, when Hafeez finally received the knockout blow. Hafeez tried to put him upside down over the blanket, but this particular delivery had been pushed through, and Hafeez struggled to gain height. It would go straight to Imad Wasim for extra cover, and Noor had his second, conceding just 19 in his spell.

The Enchanted Sleeves of Azam

It will be some time before Azam can complain that fortune does not favor him. After perhaps being a bit unlucky against Peshawar Zalmi to be considered lbw when the ball might have missed the leg stump, the cricket gods caught up with him and then some more. This was only the second time Dunk hit an outside edge of Azam’s bat, but luck was only starting to work at that point. He survived a lbw scream from Faulkner about the width of a hair in the fourth, struggling to get his rhythm.

Not that he wouldn’t have other chances. Haris Rauf rushed at him with a sharp bouncer he skied to the midwicket, where backup outfielder Zaid Alam spoiled a routine high hold. In the 9th, he got stuck in the middle of the crease after a confusion with Guptill, only for Rashid to spoil the chance to run. Rauf quickly went from aggrieved bowler to the man responsible for once again pardoning him, putting an absolute keeper on Ahmed Daniyal’s third man of bowling. Daniyal’s sufferings were not over, although Rashid allowed Babar another life by knocking him down.

It almost seemed like the Qalandars had forgotten just because he was from Lahore didn’t mean he was on their side. Hafeez finally ended the toughest of the Pakistani first batter’s innings, sticking to one point as Azam ultimately fell for a forgettable 44 54 balls.

Karachi pressure

A heavy batting effort from the Kings was followed by a temperamental start with the ball, and for the top three in the Qalandars chase, elimination came in hand. Thirty-four points were looted in the first three overs, with Wasim, Mohammad Amir and Ilyas all getting pounded. But Amir’s second pass proved to be a change of momentum, mixing up changes of pace with a few Yorkers to brake. Ilyas carried the momentum from there, a wicket maiden representing Akhtar, in addition to putting Qalandars on the back foot. Noor did much of the rest in the middle of the overs, but without stopping a seemingly overwhelming top order from Qalandars, the task for the 16-year-old would have turned out to be much more complicated.

Where they stand

The Karachi Kings move up to eight points and are behind the fourth-placed Multan Sultans in net run rate. Lahore Qalandars remains stuck on ten points after his third consecutive defeat, but for now retains his grip on third place.

Danyal Rasool is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @ Danny61000

Source link

WMOC 2010

Main Menu

Recent Match Report – Kings vs Qalandars 27th Game 2020 / 21-2021

Leave a reply Cancel reply