DUBAI: The opening duo of the Karachi Kings dominated the bowling attack of the Multan Sultans averaging over nine runs per over.
Babar Azam (43) and Liam Livingston (44) were nearing their half-centuries in the first ten overs of Friday’s opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Kings, under Imad Wasim’s leadership, are relying on their strong batting lineup with the world’s best T20 batsman Babar Azam and the number two ranked Colin Munro in explosive form and raring to go.
They also have up and coming talent in Liam Livingstone and Usama Mir, and the experience of medium pacer Sohail Khan and England batsman Ravi Bopara.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on Multan Sultans who have a new owner in Ali Tareen and a revamped brand identity of ‘Janoob ki Pehchan’. The newest team of the PSL, Multan Sultans led by Shoaib Malik will be looking to improve in only their second season of the tournament.
Their hottest pick of the season, Shahid Afridi, will undoubtedly be drawing hordes to the stadium to watch him in green and blue colours, after previously donning the yellow of Peshawar Zalmi and blue of Karachi Kings.
Peshawar Zalmi will be taking on Quetta Gladiators in tonight’s second game at the same venue.
Squads
Karachi Kings
Colin Munro, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Colin Ingram, Imad Wasim, Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Rizwan, Ravi Bopara, Sikandar Raza, Awais Zia, Usama Mir, Aaron Summers, Sohail Khan, Iftekhar Ahmed, Ali Imran, Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Yamin (S), Ben Dunk, Liam Livingstone, Jahid Ali, Umer Khan
Multan Sultans
Shoaib Malik, Andre Russell, Shahid Afridi, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, James Vince, Shan Masood, Qais Ahmed, Nicolas Pooran, Mohammad Abbas, Irfan Khan, Umar Siddiq, Laurie Evans, Nauman Ali, Mohammad Illyas, M Junaid, Daniel Christian (G), Tom Moores, Ali Shafiq, Shakil Ansar, Hammad Azam, Chris Green
