RAWALPINDI: Martin Guptill’s unbeaten 86 helped Quetta Gladiators beat Karachi Kings by four wickets in the Pakistan Super League on Monday night.
Quetta Gladiators struggled for the most part in their chase of 165, losing wickets regularly, but Guptill’s onslaught at death helped them to an important win.
With 57 needed off 24, Guptill hammered James Fuller for 24 runs, smashing him for two towering sixes and three fours, in what turned out to be a match defining over.
The New Zealander and Sarfaraz Ahmed stole 14 and 11 runs from the 18th and 19th over delivered by Musa Khan and Mohammad Amir.
Aamer Yamin needed to defend eight off the last over and Sarfaraz’s run out on the second ball promised to spice up things, but Dwaine Pretorius, playing his first HBL PSL 8 match, smashed a boundary, took two, and again hit a four to take Quetta Gladiators over the line. Guptill returned unbeaten on 86 off 56 balls.
Scores in brief:
Karachi Kings 164-6, 20 overs (Adam Rossington 69, Imad Wasim 30 not out, Aamer Yamin 23 not out; Aimal Khan 2-26, Naseem Shah 2-31) lost to Quetta Gladiators 168-6, 19.5 overs (Martin Guptill 86 not out, Sarfaraz Ahmed 29; Tabraiz Shamsi 2-20)
Player of the match: Martin Guptill (Quetta Gladiators)
