KARACHI, Pakistan, GDP – West Indies all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford shone, while former captain Carlos Brathwaite failed again but both tasted defeat in the Pakistan Premier League here yesterday.
Playing at the National Stadium, Peshawar Zalmi of Rutherford went down from 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 hit 46 solid deliveries to help drive the innings to an impressive 188 for five off their 20 overs.
The 22-year-old left-hander belted three fours and sixes, staging a fifth-run 82 wicket stand with top scorer Ravi Bopara (58 not out), to pull Zalmi around from a dangerous position of 69 for four in the 10th over .
Rutherford in the 19th eventually fell over, trying to distract new ball-sailor Mohammad Ilyas through to the keeper.
However, Englishman Bopara, who counted half a dozen four and six in a 40-ball knock, added another 37 for the sixth wicket with Amad Butt and tasted seven unbeaten balls 27 with three fours and two sixes, to give the strong finish pubs.
In response, Sharjeel Khan died to the first ball of the innings but fine stroke maker Babar Azam carved a 47-ball 77-hit unbeaten game while Mohammad Nabi of Afghanistan cut 67 off 35 deliveries to save the run-in hunt.
The pair wore 118 for the fourth wicket.
In the second match at the venue, Multan Sultans Brathwaite suffered a loss of 22 runs to Quetta Gladiators – their fourth loss in five games.
After the Sultans first picked bowling, Brathwaite dropped 43 runs from his four overs and also reduced wickets as Gladiators finished 178 for seven off their 20 overs, behind opener Usman Khan at 81 .
And the big right-hander scored just four as the Sultans struck to 154 all out with two balls left in the inning, with 20-year-old Afghan spinner Qais Ahmad hurting a run with three for 21 of his four overs.