Big-hitting Azam guides Quetta to HBL PSL triumph

KARACHI: Just days before the star of HBL Pakistan Super League season 5, Quetta Gladiators’ head coach Moin Khan declared that rookie Azam Khan will be a trump card for his team.

The fact that Azam, an overweight 21-year-old, had precious little to show going into the PSL, meant that Moin was ridiculed on the social media over his prediction. The fact that Moin also happens to be Azam’s father allowed some critics to even level charges of nepotism.

But on Sunday evening, for the second time in the current season, the big-hitting Azam forced his critics to eat their words.

Azam smashed 46 from just 30 balls to propel Quetta’s run-chase here at the National Stadium. He played the lead role in an 85-run partnership for the fourth-wicket with skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed which helped secure a five-wicket win for Quetta against Karachi Kings.

Defending champions Gladiators chased down the 157-run target with an over spare. Azam top-scored in the run chase with a 30-ball 46 and struck four fours and two sixes. He was declared player of the match for his match-defining innings.

Sarfaraz, the Gladiators captain, was not out on 37 which came off 28 balls. With 27 off 20, which included two fours and two sixes, Shane Watson was the other notable run-getter.

Earlier, pacer Mohammad Hasnain took three wickets for 33 runs and Tymal Mills returned two for 30 which limited the home side to 156 for nine after Karachi Kings’ captain Imad Wasim elected to bat.

Iftikhar Ahmed, batting at six, struck two fours and six in his 25 off 18 towards the end of the innings to take his side to a competitive total.

Alex Hales, playing his first PSL match this season, was the top-scorer in Kings’ innings with a 27-ball 29, which included a four and a six.

The second best performance, in terms of runs, came from Babar Azam who hit five fours in his 23-ball stay at the crease which brought him 26 runs. Gladiators now top the table on four points after three matches. Kings are locked with three other teams in second place on two points, but are in fifth based on their inferior net run rate.

Quetta will now travel to Rawalpindi to take on Islamabad United in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Karachi Kings play Multan Sultans at the latter’s home on Friday.

Karachi Kings won toss

Karachi Kings

Babar Azam b Mills 26

Sharjeel Khan c & b Nawaz 6

Alex Hales c sub (Abdul Nasir) b Hasnain 29

CS Delport c Nawaz b Sohail 22

CAK Walton run out 1

Iftikhar Ahmed c Naseem b Hasnain 25

*Imad Wasim run out 8

CJ Jordan c & b Mills 14

Umaid Asif b Hasnain 9

Mohammad Amir not out 0

Extras (b 2, lb 12, w 2) 16

Total (6 wickets; 20 Overs) 156

Did not bat: Arshad Iqbal

Fall: 1-31 , 2-47 3-76, 4-86 , 5-96 , 6-112), 7-13), 8-149 , 9-156

Bowling: Sohail Khan 4-0-24; Naseem Shah 4-0- 23-0; TS Mills 4-0-30-2; Mohammad Hasnain 4-0-33-3; Anwar Ali 2-0-19-0; Mohammad Nawaz(3) 2-0-13-1

Quetta Gladiators

JJ Roy run out 17

SR Watson run out 27

Ahmed Shehzad c Jordan b Imad 11

Sarfraz Ahmed not out 37

Azam Khan run out 46

Mohammad Nawaz(3) c Hales b Jordan 1

Anwar Ali not out 12

Extras (b 1, lb 4, w 1) 6

Total (5 wickets 19 Overs) 157

Yet to bat: Naseem Shah, TS Mills, Mohammad Hasnain, Sohail Khan

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-54, 3-55, 4-140 , 5-144

Bowling: Imad Wasim 4-0-20-1; Mohammad Amir 4-0-30-0; Umaid Asif 3-0-25-0; CJ Jordan 4-0-34-1; Arshad Iqbal 4-0-43-0

Result: Quetta Gladiators won by 5 wickets

Man of the Match: Azam Khan (Quetta Gladiators)

Umpires: Richard Illingworth (ENGLAND) Faisal Afridi (Pakistan). TV Umpire: Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan)