James Vince now has the joint-second highest number of centuries by an English player in T20 cricket as he and Khushdil Shah bashed Multan Sultans bowlers on a good pitch at the National Stadium to register the third-highest successful chase in PSL history.
Karachi Kings kicked their campaign off in style under new captain David Warner as the hosts registered the third-highest successful chase in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) history in a run-fest against the Multan Sultans. James Vince was the star of the show as he smashed his seventh century in T20 cricket, the joint-second highest by any English player in the format as on a good wicket at the National Stadium, he got the value for his shots and helped Karachi Kings overhaul the target with support from Khushdil Shah in the latter half and Tim Seifert at the top.
Vince completed his century off 42 deliveries while stitching a fifth-wicket partnership of 142 runs off just 67 balls alongside Khushdil as the Sultans bowlers didn’t have any answer to the Kings’ counter-attack. This was Vince’s maiden ton in the PSL and even though the Kings will be missing Kane Williamson’s services for a few games, they have enough and more backups in the overseas roster to challenge other teams, something which was on show on Sunday evening.
It was a day of high-scoring run-chases as 1,500kms away, Sunrisers Hyderabad tracked down 246 runs in a jiffy in the IPL. Even though Punjab Kings can’t be faulted for lack of intent or aggression, the same thing can’t be said about the Multan Sultans, even though they piled on 234 runs on the board in their 20 overs.
But as they say, you judge any knock or innings only when both teams have batted and Sultans’ skipper Mohammad Rizwan’s second PSL ton off 61 balls probably paled in comparison to that of Vince’s and those 10-15 runs were probably the difference. Michael Bracewell did his best with an unbeaten 44 off just 17 to lift the Sultans’ score beyond 230 but eventually, it wasn’t enough.
Rizwan and the Sultans will be glad to see the batters’ form very early on in the tournament but it wasn’t easy for any of the bowlers from both sides. Warner’s captaincy stint in the PSL began on a smashing note and will be keen to build on the same when the Kings face the Lahore Qalandars on Tuesday, April 15 while the Sultans face the defending champions a day later in Rawalpindi.
