SHARJAH — Ravi Bopara smashed an unbeaten half-century and returned figures of 16-6 to help Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars by 27 runs here Friday.
In reply to the 178-5 posted by Kings, the Qalandars were restricted to 151-8 in 20 overs.
Qalandars opening batsmen Chris Gayle (37) and Cameron Delport (55) provided a solid 98-run stand for the first wicket, but were not backed by the batsmen coming down the order.
Delport’s departure saw a procession of wickets as Bopara took the steam out of the Lahore chase.
Bopara, smashed an unbeaten 71 off 43 balls with three fours and four sixes to continue his fine run of form, and returned to dismiss Gayle, Umar Akmal (19), Dwayne Bravo (zero), Mohammad Rizwan (12), Hammad Azam (zero) and Naved Yasin (zero).
Usama Mir and Sohail Khan also claimed a wicket each.
Earlier, Kings’ opener Nauman Anwar finally came good as he scored 35 off 25 to give his side a solid start.
Left-arm spinners Zohaib Khan and Zafar Gohar were the pick of the bowlers for Qalandars picking up two wickets each in the run-fest.
Quetta flying high
After having been blown away by Umar Akmal's blitz Monday, Quetta Gladiators rebounded with a punishing win against Islamabad United, its fourth of the tournament.
Victory meant that Quetta took the top spot from Peshawar Zalmi. The Quetta bowlers vindicated Sarfraz Ahmed's decision to bowl by knocking over Islamabad for 117 in 19.1 overs. Sarfraz himself then led the chase with a typically busy fifty.
New Zealand all-rounder Grant Elliott struck twice in two balls to set the match up for Quetta. Brad Haddin was first stumped by a canny back-of-the-hand slow roller, and then Sam Billings was trapped leg-before.
Elliott's double-blow lifted Quetta, after a quick start from Shane Watson, who stood in as captain again with Misbahul Haq still injured.
The slide seeped into the lower order as well, with Imran Khalid's 18 being the second-best score, following Watson's 28-ball 40. Elliott returned figures of 3 for 25.
Andre Russell, who had managed only 10 off 13 balls with the bat, engineered a double-strike of his own in the chase, and accounted for Quetta's top three. Sarfraz, however, built on opener Ahmed Shehzad's 41, and sealed the win with seven wickets and 23 balls to spare. — Agencies
