DUBAI: Joe Denly and Babar Azam hit solid half centuries while ever-green Shahid Afridi took three wickets as Karachi Kings inflicted a 63-run defeat on Multan Sultans in Dubai to consolidate their position on Pakistan Super League (PSL) points table on Saturday.

Denly’s 55-ball 78 had ten boundaries and two 6s, while Azam’s 39-ball 58 had six 4s and a 6 while Colin Ingram smashed four 6s in his 29 not out which led Karachi Kings to 188-3, the highest total in this year’s league.

Afridi then came into his own to demolish Multan for a paltry 125 in his 3-18 for Karachi Kings’s fourth win in seven matches with one rained off. Multan remained on nine points after nine games as they succumbed to their third consecutive defeat.

Irfan Junior had the prized scalp of Kumar Sangakkara for 18 before Afridi opened the floodgates with wickets of Kieron Pollard (three), Shoaib Malik (six), Saif Badar (13) to leave Multan tottering at 6-79.

Sohail Tanvir top-scored with an unbeaten 34.

Karachi were sensible in their batting as they kept wicket in hand for the final over onslaught. That paid off as Karachi blasted 120 in the last ten, 67 in the last five to improve on the previous highest total of 183-3 scored by Multan against Peshawar in Dubai.

Lendl Simons, who came in for David Wiese, was dismissed for four but that was the only success Multan had in the first 15 overs. Denly and Azam put on 118 for the second wicket as they paced the innings in the final overs.

Denly, who reached his fifty with two fours and a single off Imran Tahir, was finally dismissed in the 17th over. It looked as Karachi had blundered by not sending Shahid Afridi but Colin Ingram smashed four sixes — one of the final delivery — in his eight-ball 29.

All Multan bowlers were punished as Hardus Viljoen’s four cost 49 while Tahir conceded 27 in his three and Junaid Khan 31 in his three.

In a repeat of last year’s final title holders Peshawar Zalmi meet Quetta Gladiators in the second match. If Quetta wins then Lahore will be out of contention for the play-offs.

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Multan Sultans 125/9 (Overs 19.4)

Over 20: Usman Khan (0-4-0-W)

Sohail Tanvir 34 (29)

Mohammad Irfan 6 (10)

Over 19: Mohammad Irfan (0-0-0-1-6-0-4)

Sohail Tanvir 34 (29)

Mohammad Irfan 2 (6)

Over 18: Mohammad Amir (6-0-2-0-1-0)

Sohail Tanvir 24 (22)

Mohammad Irfan 2 (6)

Over 17: Mohammad Irfan (W-0-0-0-0-2)

Sohail Tanvir 15 (17)

Mohammad Irfan 2 (5)

Junaid Khan 1 (2)

Over 16: Mohammad Amir (1-0-0-W-1-0)

Sohail Tanvir 15 (17)

Junaid Khan 1 (1)

Imran Tahir 2 (9)

Over 15: Joe Denly (0-0-6-0-0-1)

Sohail Tanvir 14 (15)

Imran Tahir 2 (6)

Over 14: Shahid Afridi (0-0-0-1-0-1-1)

Sohail Tanvir 7 (9)

Imran Tahir 2 (6)

Over 13: Joe Denly (1-0-6-0-W-1)

Sohail Tanvir 6 (8)

Imran Tahir 1 (1)

Hardus Viljoen 2 (7)

Over 12: Shahid Afridi (0-W-0-0-0-0)

Hardus Viljoen 1 (6)

Sohail Tanvir 0 (4)

Shoaib Malik 6 (8)

Over 11: Imad Wasim (0-1-1-0-0-0)

Shoaib Malik 6 (7)

Hardus Viljoen 1 (6)

Over 10: Shahid Afridi (0-4-0-6-W-1)

Shoaib Malik 5 (5)

Hardus Viljoen 1 (1)

Saif Badar 13(11)

Over 9: Imad Wasim (1-0-1-1-0-1)

Shoaib Malik 5 (5)

Saif Badar 3(6)

Over 8: Shahid Afridi (0-W-1-2-1-0)

Shoaib Malik 3 (3)

Saif Badar 1(2)

Kieron Pollard 3 (6)

Over 7: Imad Wasim (0-W-2-0-2-1)

Shoaib Malik 0 (1)

Kieron Pollard 3 (4)

Ahmed Shehzad 24 (17)

Over 6: Usman Khan (6-4-0-W-1-0)

Ahmed Shehzad 24 (15)

Shoaib Malik 0 (1)

Sohaib Maqsood 11 (7)

Over 5: Mohammad Irfan (0-4-W-0-0-1)

Ahmed Shehzad 23 (14)

Sohaib Maqsood 1 (3)

Kumar Sangakkara 18 (13)

Over 4: Mohammad Amir (0-1-1-6-1-4)

Kumar Sangakkara 14 (10)

Ahmed Shehzad 23 (14)

Over 3: Usman Khan (0-0-1-0-1-6)

Kumar Sangakkara 13 (9)

Ahmed Shehzad 11 (9)

Over 2: Mohammad Amir (0-0-0-1-0-1)

Kumar Sangakkara 6 (5)

Ahmed Shehzad 10 (7)

Over 1: Imad Wasim (0-4-1-2-6-1)

Kumar Sangakkara 5 (3)

Ahmed Shehzad 9 (3)

Karachi Kings 188/3 (Over 20)

Ingram 29*

Bopara 4*

 

Karachi Kings 177/3 (Over 19)

Ingram 22*

Bopara 1*

Karachi Kings 156/2 (Over 18)

Babar 50*

Ingram 17*

Karachi Kings 139/2 (Over 17)

Babar 43*

Ingram 0

Karachi Kings 128/1 (Over 16)

Denly 78*

Babar 38*

Karachi Kings 121/1(Over 15)

Denly 77*

Babar 32*

Karachi Kings 106/1 (Overs 14)

OVER 14: Imran Tahir (6-1-1-1-1-1)

Joe Denly 72

Babar Azam 26

OVER 13: Hardus Viljoen (0-0-2-4-0-4)

Joe Denly 70

Babar Azam 17

OVER 12: Mohammad Irfan (1-4-0-1-1-2)

Babar Azam 17

Joe Denly 60

OVER 11: Hardus Viljoen (1-0-0-6-0-1)

Joe Denly 58

Babar Azam 10

OVER 10: Imran Tahir (4-4-1-1-1-1)

Joe Denly 51

Babar Azam 09

OVER 09: Junaid Khan (1-1-4-0-6-1)

Babar Azam 07

Joe Denly 41

OVER 08: Imran Tahir (1-0-1-1-1-0)

Babar Azam 06

Joe Denly 29

OVER 07: Junaid Khan (0-1-0-1-1-4)

Babar Azam 04

Joe Denly 27

OVER 06: Mohammad Irfan (1-0-1-0-0-0)

Joe Denly 23

Babar Azam 02

OVER 05: Sohail Tanvir (0-0-1-1-4-1wd-1)

Joe Denly 22

Babar Azam 01

OVER 04: Mohammad Irfan (0-1-1-W-1-0)

Joe Denly 16

Lendle Simmons 4 (13)

Babar Azam 0

OVER 03: Sohail Tanvir (1-1wd-2-4-1-0-1)

Lendle Simmons 3

Joe Denly 14

OVER 02: Mohammad Irfan (0-0-1-1-4-2)

Joe Denly 7

Lendle Simmons 1

OVER 01: Sohail Tanvir (0-1wd-0-0-0-0)

Lendle Simmons 0

Joe Denly 0

Playing Squad

Karachi Kings: Lendl Simmons, Joe Denly, Colin Ingram, Babar Azam, Ravi Bopara, Imad Wasim (c), Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Irfan Jr.

Multan Sultans: Ahmed Shehzad, Kumar Sangakkara, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Hardus Viljoen, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Irfan