A member in Karachi Kings dugout uses Mobile phone during their PSL opener; invites controversy

Karachi Kings registered a thrilling 10-run victory in their tournament opener against Peshawar Zalmi in the fifth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL). Half the battle was won by the Imad Wasim-led side when they posted a mammoth total of 201/4 on the scoreboard in the first innings. However, Peshawar Zalmi’s valiant batting display almost took away the game from Kings.

An impressive batting performance laid the foundation for Karachi Kings to clinch their first victory of the tournament. However, one thing that caught the attention of many fans was a member of Karachi Kings dugout using a mobile phone during the match. The sight of any individual using a mobile phone during a match is enough to spark controversy. The incident will certainly be scrutinized if it comes under the notice of match officials.

As per the ICC’s rule, mobile phones are banned from dressing rooms and players along with members of team management are allowed to use only walkie-talkies. Many players are often seen using a walkie-talkie in a T20 match in order to communicate from the dugout to dressing room.

Livingstone’s explosive knock almost took away the match from Karachi Kings

Meanwhile, Babar Azam and skipper Wasim proved their worth for Karachi as they decimated Peshawar’s bowling force. Azam, who is known for his forte of playing brilliant T20I knocks, propelled his side to a flying start by scoring 78 runs off just 56 balls. The right-hander weaved his knock around 7 fours and two sixes.

However, along with Babar Azam, it was skipper Imad Wasim who sailed his side’s ship to the 200-run mark after smashing an explosive half-century while coming down the order. He smashed 50 runs off just 30 deliveries including 3 fours and 3 sixes to finish things off in style for Karachi Kings.

Coming on to the run chase, Kings’ bowlers were left hapless by the batting brilliance of Kamran Akmal, Darren Sammy and Liam Livingstone. Livingstone’s explosive 54-run knock almost clinched the victory for Peshawar from the jaws of defeat. However, he was not able to finish things off for his side as they fell short by 10 runs. Umaid Asif, who scalped two wickets in his spell while conceding 23 runs was the pick of Karachi Kings’ bowling attack.