KARACHI: Karachi Kings slumped to their fourth straight defeat on Sunday as Shan Masood, Josh Philippe and Arafat Minhas inspired Multan Sultans to an 11-run victory in a high-scoring HBL Pakistan Super League encounter here at the National Bank Stadium.Chasing 208, Karachi made a promising start but kept losing wickets at regular intervals, finishing at 196 after Sultans had posted a commanding 207-7, propelled by explosive knocks from the top order and a late flourish.
Sultans’ innings got off to a flying start as Awais Zafar announced himself with authority, opening the face to thwack an overpitched delivery up and over point for four, then guiding another behind square past third man.
He cleared the front leg to clobber a short wide ball from spinner Khushdil Shah over deep midwicket for six. Steve Smith fell cheaply for a duck, chipping to long-off, but Philippe walked in and immediately looked dangerous.
Philippe and Awais added 66 for the second wicket. The Australian punished anything short, belting a pull to deep midwicket and picking a slower ball from Abbas Afridi to club it over long-on.
He whipped another pace-off delivery over deep fine leg for six and later swivel-pulled a leg-break delivery from Adam Zampa to the right of deep midwicket. Awais complemented Philippe with crisp drives and pulls, including a thunderous shot off Abbas that raced to deep backward square.
Philippe’s enterprising 44 off 23 (five fours, two sixes) ended when he exposed his stumps while attempting a big shot over cover and was bowled by Khushdil.
Shan then took charge. Coming in at number four, the Pakistan Test captain used his feet superbly against Zampa, skipping down to drill one past mid-off and clubbing another to long-on. He nailed sweeps and lofted drives, reaching 46 off just 25 balls with three fours and as many sixes before Moeen Ali deceived him in flight and got him stumped.
Awais departed for 36 off 27 soon after, caught in the deep off Khushdil. Ashton Turner and Arafat steadied the ship briefly but spinners continued to apply the brakes.
Sultans were 174-6 when Mohammad Nawaz and Arafat were dismissed in quick succession — Nawaz caught brilliantly by Reeza Hendricks on the rope after a stunning effort that saw him step beyond the boundary and return to complete the catch.
With the innings seemingly losing momentum, Mohammad Imran and Mohammad Wasim Jr unleashed a breathtaking late onslaught. Imran smashed 26 off just eight, including two fours and two sixes. He flogged Hasan Ali over cow corner, powered one down the ground and lifted another over the bowler’s head.
Wasim contributed a quick seven off two, including a lofted six over long-off. The pair added 33 in the final two overs, taking Sultans past 200 and setting a daunting target.
Kings’ chase began brightly. Saad Baig and Jason Roy added 29 in quick time, with Roy looking particularly menacing. He crunched a cut past cover and heaved a fuller delivery over long-off for six.
Arafat, however, provided the breakthrough in the third over. He floated one that drifted back sharply; Roy, attempting to cut, edged it to Philippe behind the stumps for 16 off nine.
Salman Ali Agha lasted only five balls as Arafat struck again in the fifth over with a teasing delivery that drifted in as the Pakistan T20 captain advanced for a slog-sweep. Beaten in the flight and not quite to the pitch, he was bowled for two. Saad fell shortly after for 21, gloving a short ball from Peter Siddle to short fine leg.
Hendricks and Ali then built the most threatening partnership of the innings, adding 67 for the fourth wicket. Hendricks played with flair, steering boundaries to deep backward point, sweeping powerfully and launching a short ball from Imran over midwicket.
Ali backed him with precise lofts, including a beauty over long-off off Siddle and a sweetly-timed six over deep midwicket.
The stand was broken when Imran induced a soft dismissal from Hendricks, who flicked a full-toss straight to Awais at deep square for 49 off 32. Moeen (27 off 23) fell two overs later, toe-ending a loft to long-off off Turner.
Abbas then produced a thrilling counter-attacking knock of 34 off 16 balls. He smoked two sixes off left-arm spinner Momin Qamar over deep midwicket and laced elegant fours through backward point and cover. His improvisation shone as he shuffled across to flick a full ball from Imran over the keeper’s head for four. However, he lost Khushdil (four) at the other end, caught at long-off off Momin.
Hasan Ali joined Abbas and provided late fireworks with two sixes, including a monstrous straight hit off Imran. Abbas eventually fell for 34, holing out to Mohammad Wasim at long-off off Siddle.
The tail could not quite bridge the gap. After cracking a 10-ball 23, Hasan was run out in the final over as Sultans’ fielders executed precise throws. Arafat finished with three wickets, while Siddle and Imran also claimed crucial scalps.
SCOREBOARD
MULTAN SULTANS:
Awais Zafar c Shahid b Khushdil 36
Steven Smith c Hasan b Khushdi l0
Josh Philippe b Khushdil 44
Shan Masood st Saad b Ali 46
Ashton Turner c Hendricks b Ali 11
Arafat Minhas c Saad b Hasan 17
Mohammad Nawaz c Hendricks b Zampa 12
Mohammad Imran not out 26
Mohammad Wasim not out 7
EXTRAS (NB-3, W-5) 8
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 20 overs) 207
DID NOT BAT: Peter Siddle, Momin Qamar
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11 (Smith), 2-77 (Philippe), 3-121 (Awais), 4-135 (Shan), 5-154 (Turner), 6-174 (Arafat), 7-174 (Nawaz)
BOWLING: Hamza 2-0-19-0 (3w, 1nb), Khushdil 4-0-35-3, Hasan 4-0-51-1 (2nb), Abbas 1-0-25-0, Zampa 4-0-37-1, Ali 4-0-30-2, Shahid 1-0-10-0 (2w)
KARACHI KINGS:
Saad Baig c Imran b Siddle 21
Jason Roy c Philippe b Arafat 16
Salman Ali Agha b Arafat 2
Reeza Hendricks c Awais b Imran 49
Moeen Ali c Imran b Turner 27
Khushdil Shah c Wasim b Momin 4
Abbas Afridi c Wasim b Siddle 34
Shahid Aziz lbw b Arafat 0
Hasan Ali run out 23
Adam Zampa run out 1
Mir Hamza not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-8, NB-2, W-9) 19
TOTAL (all out, 19.4 overs) 196
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-29 (Roy), 2-41 (Salman), 3-47 (Saad), 4-114 (Hendricks), 5-129 (Ali), 6-151 (Khushdil), 7-160 (Shahid), 8-185 (Abbas), 9-190 (Zampa)
BOWLING: Imran 4-0-48-1 (4w, 2nb), Turner 2-0-23-1 (2w), Arafat 3-0-32-3, Siddle 4-0-28-2 (1w), Momin 3-0-25-1, Wasim 3.4-0-32-0 (2w)
RESULT: Multan Sultans won by 11 runs.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Arafat Minhas
Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2026
