KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford shone while former captain Carlos Brathwaite failed again but both tasted defeat in the Pakistan Super League here yesterday.
Playing at the National Stadium, Rutherford’s Peshawar Zalmi went down by six wickets to Karachi Kings with three balls to spare, to lose their second in five outings.
Sent in, Zalmi found themselves in early trouble before Rutherford struck a robust 46 off 32 deliveries to help propel the innings to an impressive 188 for five off their 20 overs.
The 22-year-old left-hander belted three fours and sixes, staging an 82-run, fifth wicket stand with top-scorer Ravi Bopara (58 not out), to pull Zalmi around from a perilous position of 69 for four in the 10th over.
Rutherford eventually fell in the 19th over, gloving an attempted pull at new ball seamer Mohammad Ilyas through to the keeper.
However, Englishman Bopara, who counted half-dozen four and a six in 40-ball knock, added a further 37 for the sixth wicket with Amad Butt who blasted a seven-ball unbeaten 27 with three fours and two sixes, to give the innings a strong finish.
In reply, Sharjeel Khan perished to the first ball of the innings but elegant stroke-maker Babar Azam carved out a 47-ball unbeaten 77 while Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi smashed 67 off 35 deliveries to rescue the run chase.
The pair put on 118 for the fourth wicket.
In the second game at the venue, Brathwaite’s Multan Sultans suffered a 22-run loss to Quetta Gladiators – their fourth defeat in five matches.
After Sultans chose to bowl first, Brathwaite leaked 43 runs from his four overs of seam and also went wicket-less as Gladiators finished on 178 for seven off their 20 overs, behind opener Usman Khan’s 81.
And the big-hitting right-hander scored only four as Sultans crashed to 154 all out with two balls left in the innings, with 20-year-old Afghanistan leg-spinner Qais Ahmad hurting the run chase with three for 21 from his four overs.
