All-Round Kingsmen Outplay Rawalpindiz to Keep Momentum Alive
KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen continued their resurgence in HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 with a convincing five-wicket victory over Rawalpindiz at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Chasing a modest target, Kingsmen comfortably reached the total in 16.3 overs despite losing five wickets along the way. Captain Marnus Labuschagne, Kusal Perera and Irfan Khan Niazi played key roles in steering the chase.
The innings began on a shaky note as Asif Afridi struck in the opening over to remove Maaz Sadaqat for a boundary-filled four. Labuschagne then tried to stabilise things alongside Saim Ayub, but Afridi struck again to dismiss Saim for a brisk 15, leaving Kingsmen at 28-2.
Usman Khan’s struggle at the crease ended without scoring as Mohammad Amir removed him during the powerplay, further tightening Rawalpindiz’s grip. Labuschagne looked in good touch, scoring 32 off 21 balls with six boundaries, but Saad Masood trapped him lbw to leave the chase delicately poised at 68-4.
The situation worsened momentarily when Ben Sears dismissed Glenn Maxwell for a first-ball duck. However, Perera and Irfan Niazi took control of the innings with a composed partnership, absorbing pressure and rotating the strike effectively.
The pair added an unbeaten 50-run stand, guiding Kingsmen home with ease. Perera remained not out on 32 off 24 balls, hitting three fours and a six, while Irfan contributed a steady 34 off 29 deliveries with three boundaries and a six.
Earlier, Rawalpindiz endured a difficult outing with the bat, managing only 121-9 in their 20 overs against a disciplined Kingsmen bowling unit.
Glenn Maxwell provided the first breakthrough by dismissing Usman Khawaja early, while Mohammad Ali removed captain Mohammad Rizwan to leave Rawalpindiz under pressure at 20-2.
Hunain Shah then struck twice to derail the innings further, including the dismissal of Daryl Mitchell for a duck and Abdullah Fazal for 11, reducing Rawalpindiz to 41-4.
A brief recovery came through Yasir Khan and Sam Billings, who stitched together a small partnership to steady the innings. Yasir scored 24 off 30 balls before falling to Mohammad Ali, who continued his impressive spell.
Kingsmen maintained control as wickets fell at regular intervals. Saad Masood was run out by a sharp direct hit from Labuschagne, while Asif Mehmood removed the dangerous Billings, who had scored 26 off 22 balls.
Lower down the order, Asif Afridi added a quick 15, but Hunain Shah and Mohammad Ali wrapped things up efficiently, both finishing with three wickets each. Maxwell and Asif Mehmood chipped in with one wicket apiece to complete a dominant bowling display.
The comprehensive win keeps Hyderabad Kingsmen’s momentum intact as they strengthen their push in the tournament.
