Twitter Reactions: Babar Azam stars with the bat as Karachi Kings beat Lahore Qalandars to seal maiden PSL title
Lahore Qalandars needed something special to defend the modest total but failed largely because of Babar Azam.
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Karachi Kings’ captain Babar Azam continued his red-hot form and starred with the bat again to power his side to its maiden Pakistan Super League (PSL) title on Tuesday (November 17). Playing their first-ever PSL final, Karachi Kings beat fellow first-time finalists Lahore Qalandars by five wickets to clinch the title.
Lahore Qalandars sprung a surprise by deciding to bat first after winning the toss. It was the first time a side opted to bat first in PSL 2020 playoffs. Moreover, three of the first four PSL finals were won by the chasing sides but the Qalandars decided to bat first in the game. They, however, failed to justify their decision and could only manage 134 for 7 in the stipulated 20 overs.
Openers Fakhar Zaman and Tamim Iqbal could not give their team the start they would have wanted. The duo did add 68 runs for the first wicket but they came off 61 balls. And just when the Qalandars would have wanted them to go big, they holed out off Umaid Asif in the 11th over. From thereon, Qalandars kept losing at regular intervals.
They lost seven wickets for 50 runs as their innings never got the impetus. Tamim’s 38-ball 35 was the top-score for the Lahore-based outfit. For Karachi, Waqas Maqsood, Asif and Arshad Iqbal picked up two wickets apiece.
The chase
Lahore Qalandars needed something special to defend the modest total but failed largely because of Babar Azam. The Pakistan captain scored an unbeaten fifty to take his team over the line with the utmost ease. Karachi Kings chased down the 135-run target with eight balls remaining and five wickets in hand. Babar set the tone for the chase by hitting a couple of boundaries off Shaheen Shah Afridi in the first over and didn’t look back.
Qalandars might have fancied their chances after they dismissed Sharjeel Khan (13) and Alex Hales (11) cheaply to reduce Karachi to 49 for 2. However, Babar ensured that his team always remained on the front foot in the chase. A 61-run stand between him and Chadwick Walton for the third wicket all but put the Qalandars out of the game.
Karachi lost three quick wickets towards the end but it didn’t hurt them much as they went on to win their first title with ease. Babar remained unbeaten on 63 off 49 balls. For Qalandars, Haris Rauf and Dilbar Hussain picked two wickets apiece.
Here are the best tweets on Karachi Kings’ victory
How brilliant was that little chat between @iramizraja and @babarazam258 on the #SpiderCam? @thePSLt20 showing great innovation in the Final. #PSLFinal
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY huge victory for @ProfDeano well done. #LQvsKK @thePSLt20
— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) November 17, 2020
Absolutely pure class @babarazam258 . Method and process at its best .
— Salman Butt (@im_SalmanButt) November 17, 2020
Commiserations @lahoreqalandars showed great improvement by getting to the finals . Congrats @KarachiKingsARY what a moment for u guys . Better display all around .
— Salman Butt (@im_SalmanButt) November 17, 2020
Congratulation @KarachiKingsARY #PSL2020Final
— Bilawal bhatti (@007Bilawal) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY , @Salman_ARY and let’s not forget the late Dean Jones on winning the @thePSLt20 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) November 17, 2020
Congratulations! @KarachiKingsARY @wasimakramlive @Salman_ARY @simadwasim @babarazam258 on the first @thePSLt20 WIN! This was for @ProfDeano #KarachiKings #PSLChampions #Deano
— Alan Wilkins (@alanwilkins22) November 17, 2020
Congratulations to @KarachiKingsARY, @wasimakramlive, @simadwasim & @Salman_ARY for a great victory.
Long awaited PSL trophy. #PSL2020Final #LQvKK— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 17, 2020
Congrats @KarachiKingsARY on their first @thePSLt20 title, @ProfDeano will be proud up there, and makes it his 3rd PSL title! #ForDeano #KKvsLQ
— Phil Salt (@PhilSalt1) November 17, 2020
Congratulations to @lahoreqalandars as well for a great journey. This will go a long way guys. #LQvKK #PSL2020Final
— Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY on being champion of #PSL2020 well deserved victory. Top class performance @babarazam258 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Hard luck to @lahoreqalandars
— Kamran Akmal (@KamiAkmal23) November 17, 2020
Karachi ROARS tonight, what a victory! Congratulations to Karachi Kings for winning their first PSLt20 title! Special credit goes to @babarazam258 for his commendable performance. Good luck to Lahore Qalandars for the next season, see you all again next year! #KarachiKings #PSL
— Fawad Alam (@iamfawadalam25) November 17, 2020
Heartiest congrats to @KarachiKingsARY @Salman_ARY and @wasimakramlive on winning the title
Well done to @simadwasim and his troops for getting the job 🏆 done#KKvLQ— Sikandar Raza (@SRazaB24) November 17, 2020
Deano, job done coach! 🏆 #Champions #KarachiKings pic.twitter.com/uM6tKebG0u
— Babar Azam (@babarazam258) November 17, 2020
– Congratulations #KarachiKings and well played #LahoreQalandars pic.twitter.com/eYg568Q4Up
— Shoaib Malik 🇵🇰 (@realshoaibmalik) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY on the victory! Totally deserved. Fantastic tournament to be part of #HBLPSLV
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) November 17, 2020
Congratulations to @KarachiKingsARY 👏🏽👏🏽
— Hassan Ali 🇵🇰 (@RealHa55an) November 17, 2020
Congrats @KarachiKingsARY on a wonderful win. A long time coming and well deserved. Well done to the entire team
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) November 17, 2020
Congrats to Maddy and the whole Karachi team – from Lahore ❤️ https://t.co/TWC9XQtpsm
— Wahab Riaz (@WahabViki) November 17, 2020
To the people of Karachi and supporters of @KarachiKingsARY: we did it!
To @ProfDeano: your Kings miss you. We hope you can see the trophy shine from Karachi all the way up there ❤️ @Salman_ARY @wasimakramlive pic.twitter.com/tjJAxMOtWO
— Imad Wasim (@simadwasim) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY well played @babarazam258 #PSL2020Final
— Umar Gul (@mdk_gul) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY boys , @Salman_ARY & special congratulations to late @ProfDeano being Champions of @TheHBLPSL 2020. pic.twitter.com/zbMUKW7v0a
— Mohammad Hafeez (@MHafeez22) November 17, 2020
Congrats @KarachiKingsARY and congrats to the big man upstairs no doubt looking down and smiling. Cracking Comp the @thePSLt20 full of high skill level and passion. Now let’s get cricket back to the people on a regular basis.
— Niall John O Brien (@niallnobiobrien) November 17, 2020
Nicely done @KarachiKingsARY Congratulations #PSL2020 Awesome tribute to Deano as well. Well done 👏👏👏
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) November 17, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY on a great win tonight! Deano would be so emotional & happy for his boys who have worked so hard under extreme circumstances. Big thanks to @wasimakramlive @Salman_ARY @iamShaniera @simadwasim & Pakistan for all their love & support ❤️💙
— Jane Jones (@Janey_Jones_) November 17, 2020
Very True @wasimakramlive ,
Congrats on the win and I’m sure Deano and the family are so proud. 👍❤️👏 https://t.co/92F0CxhWm1— Darren Lehmann (@darren_lehmann) November 17, 2020
Karachi Kings adjusted brilliantly with both bat & ball on a slow sticking pitch. Catching was great as well. And how good was Babar in that run chase!! Richly deserve the trophy 🏆👏👏👏
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) November 17, 2020
I wish you were here to witness your team lift the trophy @ProfDeano . It was an amazing effort by @KarachiKingsARY , many congratulations. And about @lahoreqalandars , really enjoyed the way they raised their levels. One team to watch out in PSL 6 for sure. All the best 🖒
— Rumman Raees (@rummanraees15) November 17, 2020
Well played @KarachiKingsARY and @Salman_ARY well deserved winners. It’s been a pleasure playing in such a good league @thePSLt20. Thank you @lahoreqalandars @sameenrana @atifnaeemrana super people and amazing owners. #dilse
— Samit Patel (@Samitpatel21) November 17, 2020
Nothing can prepare you for an ending quite like this. A year we will never ever forget. It’s bittersweet 🏆💙🏏 #KarachiTakesTheCup #PSLFinal2020 #RIPDeano
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) November 17, 2020
Congrats @wasimakramlive and remembering @ProfDeano 🙏👍 https://t.co/qFzzLb8rtU
— Phillip Defreitas (@cricketdaffy) November 17, 2020
Well done to @KarachiKingsARY on winning @thePSLt20 I know for sure Deano would have been extremely proud. 👏🏽👏🏽
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) November 18, 2020
A fitting result for @KarachiKingsARY, Deano would be so proud of this victory, he always spoke so fondly of his time in the @thePSLt20.
Through his adventurous spirit and passion for the game, he helped shape the tournament to what it is today! https://t.co/bFC0nt1UFN— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) November 18, 2020
Congratulations @KarachiKingsARY .. momentous and a very sombre occasion at the same time. What a game in honour of Deano. Well done 2the the entire management at @thePSLt20 for complete execution of #PSL2020Final in such strange times. Excellent tournament ! #PakistanZindabad
— Azhar Mahmood (@AzharMahmood11) November 17, 2020
We all know that Shaheen Afridi can bowl…but he can bat too 🙌 4 ball 12 in a game where most batsmen struggled to get the ball off the square. 6 and a 4 against Amir in the 20th over. #PSL2020Final #KKvsLQ
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 17, 2020
Imad Wasim "Wasim Akram deserves a lot of credit for this win. He was the bowling coach, the fielding coach, the batting coach and president. Such a big name and so many jobs, there's nothing better than that" #PSLFinal
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) November 17, 2020
Pakistan Super League Champions:
2016 Islamabad United
2017 Peshawar Zalmi
2018 Islamabad United
2019 Quetta Gladiators
2020 Karachi Kings#PSL #Cricket— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) November 17, 2020
Congratulations to @KarachiKingsARY on winning the title. Babar Azam is Babar Azam!
I am absolutely proud of the way our team @lahoreqalandars have put up a great show. Special thanks to @thePSLt20 for making it such a huge success in these difficult times. Onwards and upwards! pic.twitter.com/4biHZNajl5— Shaheen Shah Afridi (@iShaheenAfridi) November 17, 2020
Ben Dunk has lifted the award for best wicket-keeper of this year's PSL after accounting for nine batsmen behind the wickets #PSL5 #Cricket
— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) November 17, 2020
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