Karachi: Despite losing three matches, Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim has expressed his determination that he will not lose heart and will continue to fight till the end.
Speaking to the media after the third successive defeat, Wasim said: “We played poor cricket.”
“We made mistakes that cost us in all three matches.”
Chasing a target of 168 runs against Quetta Gladiators in Karachi, Karachi lost by six runs. It was Kings’ third consecutive defeat in Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 8.
However, he said, “As captain, I am not under any pressure at all. Whether we win or lose, I can assure you that we will not give up until we are out of the tournament.”
Purple force taking the lead 💪 #SabSitarayHumaray l #KKvQG pic.twitter.com/4wPqzAsmPC
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 18, 2023
After the defeat against Quetta, Karachi Kings have now lost 13 of their last 14 matches in the PSL. Babar Azam’s captaincy in PSL 7 lost 9 out of 10 matches.
Wasim credited Kiwi batsman Martin Guptill for taking the match away after his bowlers reduced the Gladiators to 92-5 in 14.5 overs.
“I will definitely give credit to Guptill,” he said. He played very well and took the match away from us.
The Kings captain added that their focus is now on winning their upcoming matches and returning. “Good teams bounce back in tough times. We will try our best to qualify for the playoffs,” he added.
‘No issue’ with Amir’s aggression
The left-hander defended pacer Mohammad Amir and said aggression comes in hot moments. “A fast bowler has to be aggressive. I don’t think he does anything deliberately, it happens in the heat of the moment,” Wasim said.
Safe Hands @ImranTahirSA 🤲🏼#SabSitarayHumaray l #HBLPSL8 l #KKvQG pic.twitter.com/QzuJHx2mfb
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 18, 2023
He added that as long as the match officials do not object to his aggression, he has no problem with it.
Aamir faced severe criticism for showing aggression against youngsters like Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United.
In a TV show, former all-rounder Shahid Khan Afridi also highlighted Amir’s on-field behaviour. Afridi shared that he spoke to Amir and asked him to tone down his aggression and focus on the game.
It should be noted that Kings’ next match will be against Lahore Qalandars in a high-octane match in Karachi today.
