All-round Imad, Javed four-for give Kings first win of the season

Imad Wasim's all-round show, coupled with Akif Javed's four-wicket burst, helped Karachi Kings get on the board as they beat Lahore Qalandars by 67 runs in Karachi.

After three successive defeats, Kings posted 185 for 5, thanks to James Vince and Matthew Wade setting the platform by adding 70 in 7.1 overs, and Imad chipping in with a handy 35 not out. In the second half, Javed's 4 for 28 helped them bowl Qalandars out for 118.

After Kings were put in, Vince hit a four in the first over, off Shaheen Shah Afridi, but it was Wade who helped them race away in the powerplay. The left-hander started his boundary counter with a four off Zaman Khan past backward point before creaming Shaheen through extra cover. The duo smoked a six each off David Wiese in the fifth over. Wade ended the powerplay with two more fours as Kings reached 61 for 0 after six.

The stand was broken when Wade was run out for a 24-ball 36. A few overs later, Liam Dawson castled Haider Ali for 19, Haris Rauf sent back Shoaib Malik, and Zaman bowled Vince with a toe-crushing yorker. That reduced Kings to 124 for 4 in the 13th over but Imad smoked an unbeaten 19-ball 35 with two fours and two sixes as Kings scored 55 in the last five overs.

In reply, Mirza Baig, playing his second T20, gave Qalandars a quick start. He smashed Imad for a four in the first over and then whacked Javed for two sixes in the next as Qalandars reached 39 for 0 after four overs.

But on a sluggish Karachi surface, the Kings bowlers adjusted well. Aamer Yamin struck to remove Fakhar Zaman with an in-dipper and Mohammad Amir had Shai Hope caught at backward point, thanks to a stunning catch by Irfan Khan.

Qalandars could not recover from there. Baig and Ghulam added 41 runs for the third wicket but only at a run-a-ball. With the required rate soaring to 12.50 after 12 overs, Qalandars knew they had to go big, but the loose deliveries never arrived.

Javed, who had conceded 26 in his first two overs struck twice in his third, sending back both Baig and Ghulam. Hussain Talat didn't last long, and Yamin took care of Wiese. Amir hobbled off the field clutching his thigh, but Ben Cutting took two wickets off consecutive balls to signal the end. Javed then sealed it with two more wickets in the 18th over to cap off a perfect evening for the hosts.