Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has responded to his side’s defeat against Karachi Kings in the 24th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10, expressing  confidence in a comeback during the knockout stage. Karachi Kings pulled off a thrilling victory over Lahore Qalandars in the rain-affected match at Gaddafi Stadium, chasing down the target of 168 in 15 overs with four wickets in hand. 

Speaking at the post-match media talk, Shaheen said, “The team that performs better on the day deserves to win. That’s fine. This is not the end of the tournament—we’re still in the game. Insha’Allah, we’ll bounce back when we face them in the semifinals.” Shaheen added that while he wasn’t making excuses, the rain had tilted the conditions in favor of the batting side. However, he maintained that Qalandars are not under pressure, especially while playing on their home ground. 

When asked about young player Naeem, Afridi praised the youngster, saying, “Naeem is a special talent and has worked very hard. He’ll be crucial for us in the upcoming matches.” Chasing 168 in 15 overs in a rain-reduced game, Karachi Kings got over the line on the third ball of the final over to win the game by four wickets. Skipper David Warner and Tim Seifert gave a brisk start to the Kings, providing them with a 40-run opening stand in three overs. 

Haris Rauf broke the opening partnership on the first ball of the fourth over when he castled Warner on 24 off 13 balls. Irfan Niazi then stitched a match-winning 45-run partnership with Mohammad Nabi to take Karachi Kings to 161/5 in 14 overs as they needed seven off the last over.Irfan Niazi hit a six on the third ball of the final over to finish the game in style for his side. Earlier, Mohammad Naseem smashed 65 alongside Fakhar Zaman’s 51 as the home side posted 160 in 15 overs on the scoreboard against Kings in their PSL 10 clash.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)