Best images from PSL 2022 opener as Multan Sultans start with big win over Karachi Kings

Mohammad Rizwan scores fifty in seven-wicket win in Karachi

Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan (L) plays a shot during the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Twenty20 cricket match between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans at the National Cricket Stadium in Karachi on January 27, 2022. (Photo by Asif HASSAN / AFP)

Spectators watch the opening 2022 Pakistan Super League match between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans in Karachi on Thursday, January 27, 2022. EPA

Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan celebrates after scoring a half-century. AFP

Spectators watch the PSL match between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. EPA

Multan Sultans' captain Mohammad Rizwan continued his great form in T20 cricket during the PSL 2022 opener. AFP

Multan Sultans' Shahnawaz Dhani, left, and Imran Tahir celebrate the wicket of Karachi Kings' Babar Azam. EPA

Karachi Kings players celebrate the dismissal of Multan Sultans' Shan Masood. AFP

Spectators line up to enter the National Stadium before the start of the PSL match between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. EPA

Spectators watch the PSL match in Karachi. EPA

Spectators line up to enter the National Stadium in Karachi. EPA

Karachi Kings' captain Babar Azam plays a shot during the match on Thursday. AFP

Karachi Kings' Sharjeel Khan plays a shot against Multan Sultans at the National Cricket Stadium in Karachi. AFP

Defending champions Multan Sultans defeated Karachi Kings by seven wickets in the opening match of the Pakistan Super League at the National Stadium in Karachi in Thursday night.

Star batsman Mohammad Rizwan continued his great form as he hit an unbeaten 52 off 47 balls, helping Multan cruise to 126-3 with 10 balls to spare after South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir took 3-16 and restricted Karachi to 124-5.

However, the pandemic remained the main talking point at the start of the tournament with several players like Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal of Peshawar Zalmi and Imad Wasim of Karachi going into isolation. Veteran all-rounder Shahid Afridi was the latest to test positive on Thursday and was ruled out of Quetta Gladiators’ first four games.

Afridi, who was due to miss at least two games due to back pain, will remain in isolation for at least one week before he being reintegrated with his team in a bio-secure bubble.

Karachi missed all-rounder Wasim, who helped the team win the tournament in 2020 but has now been replaced by Babar Azam as skipper. To make things worse for Karachi, fast bowler Mohammad Amir had to sit out the first game due to a side strain.