Chasing 178 for victory, Karachi got off to quick start courtesy of James Vince (42 off 27) and Tim Seifert (36 off 33). Captain Shan Masood played a handy cameo at No.3 as well, scoring 24 off 16.

When he was dismissed, Karachi’s score read 99-2 in 11.3 overs, needing another 79 runs off 8.3 overs. Shoaib Malik, all of 42, came out to bat at No.5 at the fall of Kieron Pollard’s wicket and was joined by Irfan Khan eight balls later with Karachi needing 65 off 34.

Irfan played a blistering knock, hitting six boundaries in his 16-ball stay which fetched 35 runs, bringing Karachi’s equation down to just eight off the last over with five wickets in hand.

Zaman Khan started the last over and got Anwar Ali caught and bowled off the first ball. The second ball was a single before Arafat Minhas was run out off the third. Zaman executed his yorkers perfectly as the next two balls fetched just three more runs, leaving Malik to face the last ball with three runs required for victory.

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Zaman attempted another wide yorker, but erred in his length this time, delivering it fuller than he would have wanted. Malik, batting on 23 off 16, stretched his hands out to slice it past the point fielder in the circle for a boundary and took Karachi to a thrilling victory off the last ball, rolling back the years.

Earlier in the game, Lahore had scored 177-5 on the back of fifties by Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique. This was Karachi’s fourth victory from nine games, taking their points tally to eight. They are fifth on the table while Lahore are languishing at the bottom with just one victry from nine games.

Watch Shoaib Malik hit a four off the last ball to take Karachi to victory:

SHOAIB MALIK THE FINISHER 😍

The Karachi crowd erupts 🙌#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #KKvLQ pic.twitter.com/Zqtl93aWtd

— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 9, 2024