The trophy goes where Wasim Akram goes

Former Pakistan skipper Wasim is the first person to have won the trophy of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Pakistan Super League (PSL) twice, shared by Cricinfo in a tweet a day after the PSL final that led Akram’s team – Karachi Kings – to victory.

Akram was the bowling coach for IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders from 2010 to 2017.

During his time with the team, the IPL franchise won in 2012 and 2014 under the captaincy of former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.

Ever since the start of the PSL, the left-arm pacer had involved with one of the franchises.

Akram in PSL

Akram had joined PSL’s most successful franchise Islamabad United as its cricket director in 2016. It eventually won the trophy.

After completing two stints with Islamabad, Akram moved to Multan Sultans as the team director when the team joined the PSL.

In 2018, however, the former southpaw again switched sides and joined Karachi Kings as its president.

They won their first PSL title with Akram, who was also working as the acting coach of the franchise after the untimely death of Dean Jones.

Karachi Kings Victory

Earlier Karachi Kings on Tuesday beat Lahore Qalandars to clinch their first-ever Pakistan Super League title at the National Stadium.

Karachi Kings’ coach Wasim Akram has dedicated the win to Dean Jones. Saying that it’s the late Jones’ hard work that had brought this about.

Although Lahore-born Babar Azam’s unbeaten 63 would likely steal the headlines. The victory actually built on the hard work done by Karachi’s unheralded. Uncapped and unknown medium-pacers Umaid Asif, Waqas Maqsood, and Arshad Iqbal.

The trio laid the foundation over which Babar later capitalized. He got his side the victory in a comfortable run chase.

Umaid, Waqas, and Arshad combined to bowl 12 over for Karachi, gave away just 62 runs, and picked up six wickets – two apiece.

Neither has ever played at the highest level. Still proved more than a match for Lahore’s studded. In-form batting line-up that threw away a solid start.