Shakib takes key wicket in Qalandars' PSL eliminator win

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan made a brief but impactful contribution as Lahore Qalandars defeated Karachi Kings by six wickets in Eliminator 1 of the PSL X at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Thursday. 

Shakib, who was the only Bangladeshi among the trio of Mehedi Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain to make the playing XI, bowled just one over but delivered a tidy spell, conceding only four runs and claiming a crucial wicket of James Vince.

The win kept Lahore's hopes of reaching the final alive, setting up a second qualifier clash with Islamabad United today.

Karachi, after being put into bat, posted a competitive total of 190/8. Their innings was anchored by skipper David Warner, who smashed 75 off 47 balls. Tim Seifert added 16 runs, while Khushdil Shah's unbeaten 27 helped push the total close to 200. Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers for Lahore, finishing with 3 wickets, while captain Shaheen Shah Afridi took two. Shakib, Naeem, and Zaman Khan claimed one wicket apiece.

In response, Lahore chased down the target with six wickets in hand and five balls to spare. Abdullah Shafique led the charge with a fluent 65, earning him the Player of the Match award. Fakhar Zaman contributed 47 runs, while useful cameos from Kusal Perera (30), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (23), and Mohammad Naeem (14) ensured a smooth chase.