KARACHI: Babar Azam's unbeaten knock of 90 runs helped Karachi Kings cruise to victory over the Multan Sultans, with the home team winning the match with seven wickets to spare.
The home side had been set a competitive target of 196 by the Sultans, but it seemed no match for the in-form Azam.
Azam was initially helped by Sharjeel Khan, but emerging pacer Shahnawaz Dahani removed Sharjeel in the fourth over for 27.
However, the wicket never really hampered the Kings as they chased down the large total, with Azam and Joe Clarke partnering up to put their side in a commanding position. The duo had a partnership of 97 runs.
They were set to guide the Kings home, but Dahani removed Clarke shortly after the latter made his half century.
By the time the partnership had ended, Kings were in a comfortable position and Azam guided his team home with 7 balls to spare.
Apart from Dahani, Sohail Khan was the only wicket-taker for Multan.
Earlier, the Sultans were asked to bat first by the Kings, who won the toss.
Multan's skipper Mohammad Rizwan continued his form with the bat, and an early partnership with Chris Lynn and James Vince put his team in a fighting position.
After Rizwan's fall, Vince took over the charge and partnered with Sohaib Maqsood to keep the momentum with his team.
At one point, Multan were set to give a target of more than 200 to the home team.
However, wickets fell regularly after the 10th over and kept the Sultans in check.
For Karachi, Arshad Iqbal stood out among the bowlers with his two wickets. Skipper Imad Wasim, Mohammad Amir, Waqas Maqsood and Daniel Christian picked a wicket each.
The ball-by-ball updates from the match can be seen below.
End of match: Karachi Kings — 198/3
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 6 runs
Sohail Khan to Mohammad Nabi: 1 run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 1 run
End of 18th over: Karachi Kings — 182/3
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam:1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: No run
Carlos Brathwaite to Mohammad Nabi: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Mohammad Nabi: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Mohammad Nabi: WIDE
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
End of 17th over: Karachi Kings — 176/3
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Mohammad Nabi: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Mohammad Nabi: 4 runs
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Mohammad Nabi: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 1 run
End of 16th over: Karachi Kings — 167/3
Sohail Khan to Mohammad Nabi: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Mohammad Nabi: No run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 1 run
Sohail Khan to Colin Ingram: OUT, Dahani c
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 1 run
Sohail Khan to Colin Ingram: 1 run
End of 15th over: Karachi Kings — 160/2
Shahnawaz Dahani to Colin Ingram: 1 run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Colin Ingram: 1 run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Colin Ingram: 4 runs
Shahnawaz Dahani to Joe Clarke: OUT, Lynn c
Shahnawaz Dahani to Joe Clarke: 4 runs
End of 14th over: Karachi Kings — 149/1
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: No run
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: No run
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
End of 13th over: Karachi Kings — 145/1
Khushdil Shah to Babar Azam: 1 run
Khushdil Shah to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 6 runs
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 6 runs
Khushdil Shah to Babar Azam: 1 run
End of 12th over: Karachi Kings — 126/1
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 6 runs
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: No run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: No run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 6 runs
End of 11th over: Karachi Kings — 112/1
Khushdil Shah to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 2 runs
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: No run
Khushdil Shah to Babar Azam: 1 run
Khushdil Shah to Joe Clarke: 1 run
End of 10th over: Karachi Kings — 103/1
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: No run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 4 runs
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: No run
End of ninth over: Karachi Kings — 96/1
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 2 runs
Usman Qadir to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 1 run, FIFTY
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: No run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: No run
End of eighth over: Karachi Kings — 88/1
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Joe Clarke: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 2 runs
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 2 runs
Shahid Afridi to Babar Azam: 4 runs
End of seventh over: Karachi Kings — 77/1
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 1 run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: No run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: No run
Usman Qadir to Babar Azam: No run
End of sixth over: Karachi Kings — 68/1
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: 2 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: 2 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: No run
Carlos Brathwaite to Joe Clarke: 2 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: No run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: WIDE
End of fifth over: Karachi Kings — 60/1
Shahnawaz Dahani to Joe Clarke: 4 runs
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan: OUT, Mohammad Rizwan c
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan: 2 runs
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan:4 runs
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan: No run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan: 4 runs
End of fourth over: Karachi Kings — 46/0
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Carlos Brathwaite to Sharjeel Khan: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Babar Azam: 1 run
Carlos Brathwaite to Sharjeel Khan: 1 run
End of third over: Karachi Kings — 31/0
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: WIDE
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: 1 run
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: 6 runs
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: 4 runs
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: No run
End of second over: Karachi Kings — 11/0
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: No run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: No run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Sharjeel Khan: 1 run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: 1 run
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: 4 runs
Shahnawaz Dahani to Babar Azam: No run
End of first over: Karachi Kings — 5/0
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 1 run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: WIDE
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: No run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: No run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: No run
Sohail Khan to Babar Azam: 2 runs
Sohail Khan to Sharjeel Khan: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Carlos Brathwaite: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: 2 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Carlos Brathwaite: 1 run
End of 19th over: Multan Sultans — 186/6
Mohammad Amir to Sohaib Maqsood: 2 runs
Mohammad Amir to Carlos Brathwaite: 1 run
Mohammad Amir to Carlos Brathwaite: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Shahid Afridi: OUT, Mohammad Nabi c
Mohammad Amir to Shahid Afridi: No run
Mohammad Amir to Shahid Afridi: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Shahid Afridi: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Shahid Afridi: No run
Mohammad Amir to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
End of 18th over: Multan Sultans — 179/5
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Waqas Maqsood to Sohaib Maqsood: 2 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Shahid Afridi: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Shahid Afridi: 2 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Khushdil Shah: BOWLED
End of 17th over: Multan Sultans — 173/4
Mohammad Amir to Khushdil Shah: 1 run
Mohammad Amir to Khushdil Shah: 2 runs
Mohammad Amir to Khushdil Shah: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Khushdil Shah: No run
Mohammad Amir to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Mohammad Amir to Sohaib Maqsood: 2 runs
Mohammad Amir to Sohaib Maqsood: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Khushdil Shah: 1 run
End of 16th over: Multan Sultans — 164/4
Arshad Iqbal to Khushdil Shah: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: 2 runs
Arshad Iqbal to Khushdil Shah: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Khushdil Shah: WIDE
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: NO BALL, 5 runs
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: 4 runs
End of 15th over: Multan Sultans — 148/4
Daniel Christian to Rilee Rossouw: BOWLED
Daniel Christian to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Daniel Christian to Rilee Rossouw: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Sohaib Maqsood: 6 runs
End of 14th over: Multan Sultans — 139/3
Arshad Iqbal to Rilee Rossouw: 6 runs
Arshad Iqbal to Rilee Rossouw: No run
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: OUT, Colin Ingram c
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 4 runs
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 1 run
End of 13th over: Multan Sultans — 127/2
Imad Wasim to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: No run
Imad Wasim to Sohaib Maqsood: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: 1 run
End of 12th over: Multan Sultans — 124/2
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Arshad Iqbal to Sohaib Maqsood: No run
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Mohammad Rizwan: OUT, Mohammad Nabi c
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 1 run
End of 11th over: Multan Sultans — 122/1
Mohammad Nabi to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs
Mohammad Nabi to James Vince: 1 run
Mohammad Nabi to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Mohammad Nabi to James Vince: 1 run
Mohammad Nabi to James Vince: 6 runs
Mohammad Nabi to James Vince: 4 runs
End of 10th over: Multan Sultans — 107/1
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
Daniel Christian to James Vince: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Daniel Christian to James Vince: 1 run
End of ninth over: Multan Sultans — 98/1
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Arshad Iqbal to James Vince: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Arshad Iqbal to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs
End of eighth over: Multan Sultans — 88/1
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Daniel Christian to James Vince: 1 run
Daniel Christian to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Daniel Christian to James Vince: 1 run
Daniel Christian to James Vince: 2 runs
End of seventh over: Multan Sultans — 78/1
Imad Wasim to James Vince: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
End of sixth over: Multan Sultans — 72/1
Waqas Maqsood to James Vince: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to James Vince: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to James Vince: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to James Vince: 1 run
End of fifth over: Multan Sultans — 54/1
Imad Wasim to James Vince: 1 run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: No run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: No run
Imad Wasim to James Vince: No run
Imad Wasim to Chris Lynn: OUT, Babar Azam c
Imad Wasim to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
End of fourth over: Multan Sultans — 49/0
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: 1 run
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: WIDE
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: No run
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: 6 runs
Mohammad Amir to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
End of third over: Multan Sultans — 31/0
Waqas Maqsood to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
Waqas Maqsood to Chris Lynn: 1 run
Waqas Maqsood to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
Waqas Maqsood to Chris Lynn: 4 runs
End of second over: Multan Sultans — 17/0
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan:No run
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Mohammad Amir to Mohammad Rizwan: No run
End of first over: Multan Sultans — 9/0
Imad Wasim to Chris Lynn:No run
Imad Wasim to Chris Lynn: No run
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Chris Lynn: 1 run
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 3 runs
Imad Wasim to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs
Multan Sultans begin batting
Karachi Kings have won the toss and opted to bowl first.