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Mohammad Amir could not have chosen a better stage to let the world know that he is well and truly back. The Karachi Kings' gifted left-arm quick who was left out in the cold due to self-inflicted wounds, pierced through Lahore Qalandars' heart with a stunning hat-trick in the penultimate over of the Lahore Qalandars innings in the second match of the Pakistan Super League on Friday.
It was fast bowling of very high quality from the 23-year-old bowler that set up his team's impressive seven-wicket over the Qalandars. And you could have been forgiven for thinking that it was not the same player whose name the fans could not stop singing at the Dubai Cricket Stadium on Friday.
After all, it was only a month ago that Amir's reintroduction caused quite a storm in Pakistan cricket.
Here in the PSL encounter, it was the Qalandars ship that was wrecked in the Amir storm. It all started in the 19th over when the Qalandars - 114 for four then - were desperately trying to get some big hits in their attempt to get a competitive total after their top order batsmen had failed to make their starts count.
Dwayne Bravo (14), always a dangerous customer with the bat in the death overs, was bowled with a straight back of a length ball. Then Zohaib Khan could only scoop the ball to wicketkeeper Saifullah Bangash's gloves. Amir had the crowd on their feet by the time next man KK Cooper entered the 22-yard strip.
The 26-year-old West Indian all-rounder couldn't handle the pressure of denying an inspired Amir a hat-trick as he was trapped plumb in front of the wicket. Three wickets in three balls sucked the life out of the Qalandars as they finished their innings at 125 for eight in 20 overs.
The Karachi Kings did lose two quick wickets in reply, giving the Qalandar fans a glimmer of hope.
But that turned out to be a false dawn as Shakib Al Hasan (51, 35 balls, three fours and three sixes), dropped on one by Bravo, launched a magnificent counterattack, inspiring Lendl Simmons (62 not out, 46 balls, eight fours, two sixes) to come out of his shell and play a fabulous innings. Eventually they reached home in 15.5 overs.
Credit for this comprehensive victory should also go to captain Shoaib Malik who opted to field after winnings toss and opened the bowling with his own off-spinners, removing Chris Gayle (4) in the fourth ball of the innings.
"Gayle is one of the best players in the world. But he does struggle a bit against off-spinners. I always had that in mind. So it was planned in the team meeting that an off spinner would bowl to him at the start. I thought I was the only one with the experience and the heart. So I took the challenge and got him out. It was a massive wicket as we all know he can take the game away if he plays 10 overs," a delighted Malik later told reporters in the post-match Press conference.
"Overall I am very happy to win the first game. It's always good to get a good start because that gives you a lot of confidence. Today the bowlers as well as the batsmen contributed to the win. So it's a very good sign."
While Malik felt the wicket of Gayle in the first over and the dropped catch by Bravo were the two key moments that turned the match in their favour, he was also effusive in his praise of Amir.
"It was a performance that cannot be described in words. He is coming back after five years but the way he has been performing and improving every day, it's a very good sign for Pakistan cricket."
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com
Squads:
Karachi Kings
Nauman Anwar, LMP Simmons, JM Vince, Shoaib Malik*, Shakib Al Hasan, RS Bopara, Imad Wasim, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Saifullah Bangash (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Amir
Lahore Qalandars
Chris Gayle, Azhar Ali*, CS Delport, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Sohaib Maqsood, DJ Bravo, Naved Yasin, KK Cooper, Zafar Gohar, Zohaib Khan, Zia-ul-Haq
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