Watch: Shoaib Malik rolled back the years with a quickfire cameo in the 2022 Kashmir Premier League fixture for Mirpur Royals against Rawalakot Hawks, hitting a hat-trick of sixes against left-arm spinner Faisal Akram.
40-year-old Malik – who last played for Pakistan in 2021 – brought out his big-hitting game to resurrect a floundering chase, tonking four sixes – including three consecutive hits off teenage spinner Akram – to bring the Royals back into the game. At the end of the 11th over, the Royals needed 85 off 54 balls; Malik got the strike from the second ball and proceeded to collect 18 off the next three. The first six was off a full toss that was duly dispatched over deep midwicket, and the second one – a cleaner, bigger hit flew over cow corner – and the third one followed suit, clearing the fence with ease. Malik moved from a run-a-ball 15 to 33 off 18, and the required run rate fell appreciably.
Faisal managed to have the last laugh, trapping Malik after he tried to make it four in four, but only managed to send one down the throat of long-on. Imad Wasim did the rest of the work, drilling a 17-ball 26, and was assisted by Moin Pervaiz and Abrar Ahmed as the Royals’ lower order finished up Malik’s work.
