Karachi struggle to 149 runs against Lahore

Karachi Kings' skipper Babar Azam, right, and Lahore Qalandars' Ben Dunk, left, in action during a Pakistan Super League cricket match at the National Stadium in Karachi on January 30, 2022. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Cricket Board)
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  • Second-placed Lahore are taking on winless Karachi in today’s game  
  • Karachi Kings have suffered eight consecutive defeats in tournament  

ISLAMABAD: Bottom-placed Karachi Kings struggled to 149 runs against Lahore Qalandars in the first innings of their Pakistan Super League (PSL) match at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday. 

PSL is Pakistan’s professional T20 cricket league that has, over the course of half a decade, become the country’s most popular sports event. The month-long tournament features six different teams, each representing a Pakistani city, competing for the trophy. 

Karachi won the toss and decided to bat first in the game. The side could only post a mild total of 149 runs from 19.5 overs. 

Karachi Kings have gone down in the record books as the only PSL team to have suffered eight consecutive losses, with fans taking aim at skipper Babar Azam for not demonstrating leadership skills.    

On the other hand, Lahore Qalandars have won five of their seven matches and are placed at number two on the points table. Lahore skipper Shaheen Afridi has earned praise from fans and critics alike for his first stint as the team’s captain.    

The last time the two teams met was on January 30, when Lahore beat Karachi by six wickets in a one-sided affair. Lahore’s pace battery today will be looking to target Karachi’s upper order, and with skipper Babar Azam in dismal form since the last couple of matches, Karachi may find themselves in trouble yet again.    

Karachi, who are already out of the tournament, are just playing for pride at the moment.