Cricket: Rossouw, Sarfraz propel Quetta Gladiators past Karachi Kings

Dubai - Rilee and captain Ahmed joined forces to edge out a seven-wicket victory at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.

The Quetta Gladiators became the only team to make it two wins from two after pulling off a heist against the Karachi Kings in the fifth match of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL).
After finding themselves in a spot of bother, with the top three wiped off by pacer Sohail Khan, while chasing a target of 160, Rilee Rossouw and captain Sarfraz Ahmed joined forces to edge out a seven-wicket victory at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.
Quetta, who had nicked a thriller against the Lahore Qalandars on Friday night, were three down for 30, with the openers Ahmed Shehzad, Asad Shafiq and Kevin Pietersen gone. Pietersen's poor run continued as he was out for a first-ball duck.
But Rossouw, who had made a match-winning 60 against the Qalandars, followed it up with an unbeaten 76 from 53 balls. His knock was studded with seven boundaries and three sixes.
Meanwhile, Sarfraz Ahmed played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 56 from 42 balls with four boundaries and a lone six.
The pair also strung together an unbroken 130 runs for the fourth wicket to blunt the Karachi Kings, who are yet to win a game.
Earlier, top order worries continued for the Karachi Kings with the dangerous Chris Gayle and Shahzaib Hasan failing to fire yet again.
But they still managed to muster a total which was probably par for the course. And their 159 was all down the young Babar Azam, who came in at one down.
The Karachi Kings were also served along the way by their middle order of captain Kumar Sangakkara, Kieron Pollard, Shoaib Malik and Ravi Bopara.
Although, they were by no means big scores, the cameos were substantial enough for the Karachi Kings to post a decent total.
The 22-year-old Azam, who made a dream debut against the West Indies here last year, scored a resilient 50 from 42 balls with four boundaries and a six.
This was after the openers Hasan and Gayle had fallen after making 19 and 10 respectively. Hasan offered a return catch to left-arm pacer Tymal Mills, while the big-hitting West Indian did the same to pace bowler Thisara Perera.
Azam also added 44 runs for the third wicket with Sangakkara before the latter became Perera's second of three victims on the night. Sangakkara had made 25 from 22 balls with a lone boundary and a six before he was caught by Hassaan Khan.
Pollard scored 14, while Malik made 15. Bopara then lent a useful 16 lower down.
Apart from Perera, who took three for 34, Mills had two for 21.
 
 
SCOREBOARD:
Karachi Kings innings
Hasan c & b Mills 19
Gayle c & b Perera 10
Azam run out 50
Sangakkara c Hasan b Perera 25
Pollard c Pietersen b Nawaz 14
Shoaib c Nawaz b Perera 15
Bopara c Babar b Mills 16
Wasim not out 6
Sohail Khan run out 2
Extras (lb1, w1) 2
Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 159
To bat: Amir, Ahmed
Fall: 1-28 (Shahzaib Hasan, 3.4 ov), 2-35 (Gayle, 5.3 ov), 3-79 (Sangakkara, 11.5 ov), 4-97 (Pollard, 14.3 ov), 5-123 (Shoaib Malik, 16.6 ov), 6-141 (Babar Azam, 18.3 ov), 7-152 (Bopara, 19.2 ov), 8-159 (Sohail Khan, 19.6 ov)
Bowling: Anwar 4-0-37-0, Mills 4-0-21-2, Babar 4-0-25-0, Perera 4-0-34-3, Hasan 2-0-14-0, Nawaz 2-0-27-1.
Quetta Gladiators
Shafiq c Malik b Sohail11
Shehzad c Pollard b Sohail 11
Pietersen c Sangakkara b Sohail 0
Rossouw not out 76
Sarfraz not out 56
Extras (lb2, w3, nb1) 6?Total (3 wickets; 19.1 overs) 160
Did not bat: Mohammad Nawaz (3), NLTC Perera, Hasan Khan, Anwar Ali, TS Mills, Zulfiqar Babar
Fall: 1-23 (Ahmed Shehzad, 2.5 ov), 2-23 (Pietersen, 2.6 ov), 3-30 (Asad Shafiq, 4.2 ov)
Bowling: Mohammad Amir 4-0-27-0, Imad Wasim 3-0-27-0, Sohail Khan 4-0-23-3, Abrar Ahmed 2-0-19-0, RS Bopara 4-0-30-0, KA Pollard 1.1-0-23-0 Shoaib Malik 1-0-9-0
Toss - Quetta Gladiators, who chose to field
Points - Quetta Gladiators 2, Karachi Kings 0