Karachi Kings were crowned Pakistan Super League (PSL) champions after Babar Azam scored an unbeaten 49-ball 63 to help his team beat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the final here on Tuesday night.

This is the first PSL title for Karachi while Lahore haven’t won it as yet in the five-year history of the tournament.

Chasing Lahore’s 134 for seven wickets in 20 overs, Azam hammered seven boundaries on his way to 63 that helped his team clinch the match with eight balls to spare at the National Stadium here. Karachi finished at 135 for five wickets in 18.4 overs.

Azam was named both the Player of the Final and the Player of the Series.

Karachi speedsters Waqas Maqsood, Umaid Asif, and Arshad Iqbal also played key roles for their team, as they captured two wickets each to check Lahore Qalandars’ progress after Lahore captain Sohail Akhtar won the toss and opted to bat.

The top scorer for Lahore was Bangladeshi opener Tamim Iqbal, who scored 35 off 38 balls while Fakhar Zaman chipped in with a 24-ball 27.
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Chasing, Karachi lost opener Sharjeel Khan (13) early, but Azam kept one end going and ensured that his team crossed the line. The second top scorer was West Indies’ wicket-keeper Chadwick Walton, who made 22 off 27 balls.

Fittingly, Karachi captain Imad Wasim (10 not out) hit the winning boundary off speedster Shaheen Shah Afridi.

The PSL had started on February 20 and 30 and matches were played until March 15, when the tournament was stopped due to Covid-19 pandemic. The playoffs began on Saturday.

Brief scores:

Lahore Qalandars: 134 for seven wickets in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 35, Fakhar Zaman 27, Waqas Maqsood 2/18, Umaid Asif 2/18, Arshad Iqbal 2/26)

Karachi Kings: 135 for five wickets in 18.4 overs (Babar Azam 63 not out, Chadwick Walton 22, Dilbar Hussain 2/28, Haris Rauf 2/30)

Result: Karachi Kings won by 5 wickets

Source: IANS