LAHORE: England all-rounder Moeen Ali delivered a match-winning all-round performance on his Karachi Kings debut, guiding the side to a thrilling victory over Quetta Gladiators in their HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 opener at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Moeen played a pivotal role with the bat, scoring a fluent unbeaten 48 off 29 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and three sixes. His composed knock in the latter stages of the innings helped Karachi Kings post a competitive total of 181-7, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Reflecting on his innings, Moeen highlighted the challenge posed by Quetta’s spin attack and the changing nature of the surface.
“Obviously, they [Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq] are two very good spinners. I haven’t faced them much before, and the wicket wasn’t as good as it looked early on,” Moeen said. “We started really well in the powerplay, but after that, it wasn’t easy to hit the ball. You just had to play proper cricket shots and not panic.”
The experienced all-rounder credited his calm approach under pressure to years of playing at the highest level.
“Earlier in my career, I might have panicked in that situation, but experience helps. I stay pretty calm and try to understand when to shift gears. When you’ve played a lot of cricket, you learn how to handle these moments,” he added.
Speaking specifically about facing off-spinner Usman Tariq, Moeen noted the bowler’s unique style.
“He’s very different and a quality spinner. He can break your rhythm as a batter, so I tried to delay my shots as much as possible and play according to the situation.”
Moeen also contributed with the ball, adapting his approach based on match conditions.
“With the ball, I was just trying to get some spin early on. There was a bit of grip in the powerplay, so I bowled a bit fuller. Later, it was about hitting the right areas and adjusting to the situation,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Moeen expressed satisfaction with the team’s start while acknowledging areas for improvement.
“It’s always nice to get points on the board early in the tournament. It’s still very early, and there are things we can improve on, but it’s a great start. Getting those two points, even if it’s not a perfect win, is what matters,” he concluded.
Karachi Kings will take confidence from their strong start as they look to build momentum in the ongoing PSL 11 campaign.