Karachi Kings 154/6 (20/20 ov)
Quetta Gladiators 158/4 (19/20 ov)
Quetta Gladiators won by 6 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)
DUBAI // In a match liberally sprinkled with Twenty20 royalty and the nouveau riche, a Pakistani batsman who many reckon is unsuited to the format set the platform for another Quetta Gladiators win.
Asad Shafiq’s attempts to prove himself as a T20 batsman have often been derided in the past. But his half-century, as part of a 105-run alliance with opening partner Ahmed Shahzad, set up a six-wicket win over Karachi Kings that pushes Quetta closer to the final.
The win means the Gladiators are the first team through to the play-offs. Karachi, by contrast, are hanging on limply at the bottom of the table.
It was another of the team’s lesser lights who had done the damage with the ball. Mahmudullah, Quetta’s Bangladeshi all-rounder, took 3-21 with his offspin, as the Kings were restricted to 154-6. Given the stardust around elsewhere, Shafiq and Mahmudullah felt like unlikely match winners.
He might have been considerably richer than he was this time last week, but Tymal Mills was unspectacular with the ball for Quetta in his first game since hitting the Indian Premier League jackpot.
It is easy to think the searing pace the England fast-bowler can generate was what tempted Royal Challengers Bangalore to part with US$1.8 million (Dh6.6m) for him at auction. Perhaps that misses the point of Mills, though.
There is more to him than just express speed. No wicket for 28 runs off four overs against Karachi was an unflashy return, but he was able to perform some of his repertoire.
Most memorably, he outfoxed Chris Gayle with a slower ball that the West Indian at first thought about playing, then leaving, then ducking, then he flinched, and shortly afterwards, the ball hit him on the front arm.
He looked nonplussed. The bowler, for his part, looked delighted. Maybe they can discuss the merits of the Mills slower ball when they get to India. They will be teammates for RCB.
Maybe by then Gayle will have found some form. He did at least spend some time at the wicket this time, after coming in to bat at No 3 for Karachi. All the 34 balls he faced did, though, was show quite how adrift he is at present. He made 29, and his strike-rate of 89.3 was the second lowest of his career in innings in which he has faced 30 balls or more.
Gayle’s slow going characterised another insipid display by Karachi. In Sohail Khan, they have the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, but they also have the least wins.
The manner of this one was too much for Mickey Arthur, their coach. When they took their strategic time out, at the earliest possible opportunity, the South African strode onto the field and tore strips off his players.
They proceeded to take three wickets for 11 runs in the next three overs, but it was momentary blip for Quetta, as Shafiq and Shahzad had done the majority of the work needed.
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