Multan Sultans Thurdsya started defence of their title in style as they defeated Karachi Kings by seven wickets in the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at National Stadium.

Skipper Mohammad Rizwan played a captain's knock as he scored 52 off 47 balls, while Imran Tahir gave his side the opening wicket and also took a total of three crucial scalps — Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Tom Lammonby — after they won the toss and put Karachi to bat.

The Kings' bowlers could not perform up to the mark as they were already under pressure as the Babar Azam-led side had handed a meagre 124-run target to the Sultans, which they completed in 18.2 overs at the loss of three wickets.

Nabi took two wickets and Mohammad Ilyas took one for the Kings.

Apart from Rizwan, Shan Masood scored 26 runs, Sohaib Maqsood 30 runs, and Tim David — who also ended the match in style with a massive six — scored 12 runs.

Earlier,  Karachi Kings handed a meagre 124-run target to the defending champions Multan Sultans, as Imran Tahir picked up three wickets to restrict the Babar Azam-led.

The fall of wickets began in the 10th over when Tahir picked up the first and crucial wicket of Sharjeel Khan (43), who was on a roll with his opening partner and skipper Babar Azam.

Later in the 11th over, Khushdil Shah took the wicket of Babar in the next over (23), piling up pressure on the Sultans.

Nabi was the third man to go for 10 of 17 balls and the man to dismiss him was Tahir. In the same over, the veteran spinner picked up the wicket of Tom Lammonby (1). Joe Clarke (26) was dismissed by Shahnawaz Dahani in the 18th over.

The Sultans only gave six extras in 20 overs.

The Kings suffered a blow hours before the match as former skipper Wasim and international player Jordan Thompson have tested positive for coronavirus.

Karachi Babar Azam (c), Tom Lammonby, Lewis Gregory, Aamer Yamin, Sharjeel Khan, Joe Clarke, Muhammad Nabi, Mohammad Imran Jr, Mohammad Taha Khan, Umaid Asif, Muhammad Ilyas

Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Shan Masood, Tim David, David Willey, Sohaib Maqsood, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Imran Tahir, Imran Khan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ihsanullah