||Desk Rreport||

Karachi Kings strated their Pakistan Super League (PSL) campaign with a thriller 7-run win over Multan Sultans League in Dubai on Friday. Liam Livingstone's  82-run knock lifted Karachi to 183 for 6. In the reply, Multan scored 176 for 9 within 20 overs. 

Electing to bat first, the two Karachi openers Liam Livingstone and Babar Azam wrote a new of the highest opening-stand of 157 runs in the PSL history. Livingstone knocked 82 off 43 balls including six boundaries and six sixes while the other Azam smashed  77 off 59 balls with six boundaries and one six. With his 77-run, Babar Azam touched the 3000-run mark in T20 cricket. After then, Karachi lost six wickets for 26 runs and posted 183 for six. Multan's Chris Green claimed 3 for 32.  

Chasing 184 for victory, Multan Sultans got a eraly blow when they lost their opener Tom Moores for 5. But, the other opener Shan Masood and Laurie Evans added 47 runs in the second wicket-stand before Masood's departure. After then,  Multan skipper Shoaib Malik cracked 52 off 28 with five boundaries and two sixes while Laurie Evans scored 49 off 39. Their 72-run-stand led Multan closer to the target but Evans' unfortunate run out changed the entire game. 

Karachi's Mohammad Amir stroke then and removed Multan's three crucila wickets of Andre Russell (9), Shahid Afridi (14) and Hammad Azam (12). Malik also removed by Usman Shinwari. Amir's spell of 4-25 ensured the victory for Karachi Kings. At the last over, Sohail Khan dismissed Chris Green for 6 and Mohammad Ilyas for zero that restricted Multan at 176 for 9. 

On the inaugral day of PSL, The defending champions Islamabad United defeated Lahore Qalandars by five wickets on Thursday. Fakhar Zaman's 65 drove Lahore 171 for 8. In reply, Islamabad scored 177 for 5 within 19.2 overs.  Asif Ali's explosive 36 off 19 balls claimed Islamabad the first win in PSL season four.