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Rossouw, Sarfraz guide Quetta Gladiators to seven-wicket win

by Sandeep Shivam Sunday 12 February 2017

Rilee Rossouw scored his second successive fifty

©REUTERS

Quetta Gladiators 160-3 (Rossouw 76no) beat
Karachi Kings 159-8 (Azam 50) by seven wickets
Fifth match, Pakistan Super League, Dubai

Rilee Rossouw and Sarfraz Ahmed scored unbeaten fifties as Quetta Gladiators chased down 160 against Karachi Kings to secure a seven-wicket win in the fifth match of Pakistan Super League in Dubai.

Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to field first with both teams going unchanged. Following a sedate start of 28 runs from 22 deliveries, Karachi Kings lost both Shahzaib Hasan (19) and Chris Gayle (10) in succession and they ended the powerplay at 37 for two.

Babar Azam (50) and Kumar Sangakkara (25) tried to resurrect the innings with their 44-run stand but runs were hard to come following accurate bowling from Zulfiqur Babar (0-25).

Thisara Perera (3-34) brought Quetta back into the game by dismissing his former captain. Kieron Pollard (14) tried to up the ante with a six and a four but was dismissed in the same over from Mohammad Nawaz (1-27).

Azam was run out soon after reaching his fifty and cameos from Shoaib Malik (15) and Ravi Bopara (16) helped them post 159 for eight in the 20 overs.

Sohail Khan (3-23) produced a blinder of a spell where he dismissed Asad Shafiq (11), Ahmed Shehzad (11) and Kevin Pietersen (0).

However, Rossouw (76 not out) and Sarfraz (56 not out) held together as they thwarted the Karachi bowling attack. Rossouw brought up his second consecutive fifty in the tournament off 30 deliveries and Sarfraz played the anchor role.

With a six in the 17th over, Sarfraz brought his own half-century and the duo saw the team through with their unbeaten 130-run stand. Rossouw got the man of the match award for the second time in two games.