Kingsmen into PSL play-offs at Qalandars' expense

[Getty Images]

Hyderabad Kingsmen secured the fourth and final spot in the Pakistan Super League play-offs with a commanding 108-run victory against bottom side Rawalpindiz in their last game of the league stage.

The Kingsmen sneaked into fourth place with the fifth win of their debut PSL campaign, edging past Lahore Qalandars on superior net run-rate and thereby eliminating the defending champions.

Needing a big win against Rawalpindiz to stay alive, the Kingsmen posted 244-6 batting first, with Usman Khan setting the platform with a rapid 54 from 26 balls.

Glenn Maxwell and Kusal Perera continued the onslaught with the Australian smashing 70 from 37 balls while the latter remained unbeaten on 50 to put the Kingsmen in a commanding position in Karachi.

Rawalpindiz never threatened in their response as they lost wickets regularly with only Australian batter Usman Khawaja putting up some resistance with an unbeaten 66, while English wicketkeeper-batter Sam Billings scored a 12-ball 23.

Kingsmen medium pacer Hunain Shah took 4-22 and Akif Javed registered 3-38 to derail the chase while Maxwell also chipped in with a wicket as Rawalpindiz were bundled out for 136 in the 17.1 overs.

Rawalpindiz finished at the bottom with only one win and nine defeats.

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