Karachi Kings receive major boost ahead of PSL 10 match against Islamabad United

RAWALPINDI: Karachi Kings are set to receive a timely boost ahead of their final league-stage match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 against Islamabad United, scheduled for Monday at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The team’s preparations have recently faced challenges due to disruptions caused by the India-Pakistan conflict, which threw the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 schedule into disarray.

The political tensions resulted in a temporary halt of both the PSL and the Indian Premier League (IPL), pushing the PSL 10 fixtures into a condensed window from May 17 to May 25.

In a positive development for Karachi Kings, New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert has returned to Pakistan ahead of the crucial clash.

Seifert arrived in Islamabad and confirmed his comeback by sharing a photo from his hotel on Instagram, signaling his readiness to rejoin the squad for the tournament’s critical phase.

Meanwhile, Karachi Kings pacer Mir Hamza also provided an update on his injury sustained during the match against Peshawar Zalmi.

Hamza was hit on the toe by a powerful shot from Max Bryant during the 17th over, leaving him in visible pain.

However, the left-arm pacer took to X (formerly Twitter) to reassure fans, stating, “Alhamdulillah, I am fine now and back to normal. Thank you all for your concern.”

Hamza finished the game with figures of 1 for 33 in his four overs during a high-scoring encounter.

It is pertinent to mention that Karachi Kings stormed into the playoffs of PSL 10 with a commanding 23-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi. The highlight of the match was Khushdil Shah’s blistering unbeaten 43 off just 15 balls.

Shah, alongside Mohammad Nabi (26* off 10), put on a game-changing 70-run partnership in only 24 balls, guiding Karachi Kings to an imposing total of 237 for 4.

Chasing 238, Peshawar Zalmi fought hard but ultimately fell short, finishing at 214 for 5 in their 20 overs. The standout performer for Zalmi was Babar Azam, who scored a valiant 94 off 49 balls, featuring 10 fours and 4 sixes.

For Karachi Kings, Abbas Afridi led the bowling attack with 2 wickets for 48 runs in his four overs. Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza contributed with one wicket each.

Karachi Kings currently sit second on the PSL 10 points table with six wins and three losses from nine games, accumulating 12 points.

Their final group stage match against defending champions Islamabad United at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium will be decisive in shaping the playoff matchups.