Chasing Lahore Qalandars’ total of 178 runs, Karachi’s opening duo, James Vince and Tim Seifert, got off to a flying start, reaching 58/0 by the conclusion of the powerplay.
After Vince fell to Tayyab in the seventh over, Shan Masood joined Seifert to continue the onslaught, propelling Karachi to 96/1 after ten overs.
However, the game took an unexpected turn in the 13th over when Tayyab’s delivery resulted in a rare spectacle – the striker’s bat shattered mid-shot, much to the surprise of the crowd.
In the third ball of the 13th over, Tayyab bowled a full-length delivery to Pollard, who attempted a cross-batted shot. Upon impact, the bat’s handle remained in Pollard’s hand while the base fractured, splitting the bat into two pieces.
One part of the bat’s base ricocheted towards the bowler as the handle detached. Pollard swiftly retrieved a new bat from the dugout, but despite the change, he couldn’t leave a mark and was dismissed four balls later.
The 𝐛𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 moment! 🏏🤯#HBLPSL9 | #KhulKeKhel | #KKvLQ pic.twitter.com/YViuvbGECx
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 9, 2024
The incident sparked debates on social media, with the Twitterverse divided over the cause of the bat’s unusual breakage. Opinions and discussions regarding the occurrence flooded various platforms, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the match.