Karachi's last-ball win in PSL extends defending champion Lahore's losing streak to four games

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Karachi Kings clinched a last-ball thriller to hand two-time defending champion Lahore Qalandars its fourth straight loss in the Pakistan Super League on Saturday.

Karachi won by two wickets after defying a much improved Lahore pace attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi (1-34), to reach 176-8 in exactly 20 overs in reply to Lahore's 175-6.

Lahore was asked to bat first by Karachi and opener Sahibzada Farhan anchored the innings with an unbeaten 72 off 45 balls. South African George Linde provided the late flourish with a breezy 26 not out off 13 balls.

Karachi’s Kieron Pollard (58) and Shoaib Malik (39) led the chase with their 95-run fifth wicket stand after their team had stuttered at 44-4 inside the batting power play.

But their departures in successive overs brought Lahore back into the game with Afridi featuring in both dismissals. Pollard skied an easy catch to cover against the leftarm fast bowler in the 16th over and Afridi took a brilliant catch running backward from mid-off to dismiss Malik in Haris Rauf’s next over.

Rauf (1-22), who had taken just one wicket in the previous three games and conceded 110 runs, got his rhythm back before suffering a shoulder injury late in Karachi’s chase.

Zaman Khan (2-25) bowled Daniel Sams and that gave inexperienced spinner Ahsan Hafeez 11 runs to defend in the last over.

Hasan Ali hoisted Hafeez for a six over wide mid-on off the first ball. After the scores were level, Rauf damaged his shoulder while holding onto a spectacular diving catch to dismiss Hasan. Mir Hamza cut Hafeez to third man off the final ball to raise Karachi’s second win in four games. Karachi is third with four points behind Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators.

Earlier, Farhan counterattacked in the second half of the innings as Karachi’s pace and spin pinned down Lahore to 59-3 in 10 overs.

Shai Hope (21) smashed Tabraiz Shamsi (2-42) for 16 runs in the spinner's final over. Farhan and Linde combined in a 54-run stand off the final 26 balls.

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