Multan Sultans vs Karachi Kings, 11th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

18:07 local: This was coming. The match has been abandoned. The officials have realized that there's no point whiling around our time till the cut-off time. Both teams take a point with them as the wait continues to have the second match, at least some of it. See you on the other tab, ta ta!!

18:03 local: Some unverified but people of positions in power have been telling us that play needs to start by 18.17 local time for a five-over contest. Let's not forget, this can't be pushed further for there's another game waiting.

17:35 local: Here's Karachi Kings with the latest - Match Update: "Good News from Sharjah; covers are being taken off ... Match will start soon!" Thank their twitter handle.

17:15 local: The rain refuses to give way to any sort of action. Not even an inspection. But again, it's only a light sprinkling. With the outfield that's all sand-based, the ground is is only going to be sucking it all in. Nevertheless, things just not looking positive for now.

16.10 local: Conservative sense returns. The sack cover is coming back on. It's going to be a long day .. brace up. It's that irritating drizzle that isn't making up its mind. We are into the territory where we've started losing overs by the minute.

16:03 local: No reduction in overs and a 16.15 start. Pretty much on target with Aleem Dar's plans. Make no mistake, the drizzle is still there as Mohammad Irfan looks on puzzled. Why the delay in the first place if this is good enough?

15:55 local: News, news -- "Hopefully we should start in another 15 minutes. We are only worried about the square because there is no grass on it," goes umpire Aleem Dar. The time to start losing overs is 16.10 local, so in most likelihood we should be having a full game on our hands. Unless the groundsmen go sloppy.

15:45 local: So the covers seem colour coded. The center is white, the run-ups are yellow and the side-square ones are blue. They've probably exhausted everything.

Nobody's bothering to use an umbrella either. For a change there are people in the venue and they are banking on the DJ to keep them entertained. And some sponsored dances they do when the camera pans on them. So all this "rain" is going to do is delay things. Not even good enough to cut overs, *damn*

15:30 local: No, it's not time as yet for action. An absolute shame with some desert rains here. A spitting drizzle, but such is cricket. It isn't hard enough to stop a game, but is hard enough to prevent a start. The square has been covered .. and we wait.

Teams:

Multan Sultans (Playing XI): Kumar Sangakkara(w), Ahmed Shehzad, Darren Bravo, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik(c), Kieron Pollard, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Tahir, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

Karachi Kings (Playing XI): Khurram Manzoor, Joe Denly, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Imad Wasim(c), Mohammad Irfan Jnr, Tymal Mills, Usman Khan, Mohammad Amir

Karachi Kings have won the toss and have opted to bat

14.40 local: It's a toppers' clash. Karachi are yet to see a defeat - no not just a defeat, they are yet to see a victory that isn't comprehensive. The Sultans meanwhile are coming off a week's break, which should ideally be enough to get over the collapse they were under against Islamabad. After yesterday's heady night, expect the Sharjah crowds to come out in large numbers for the double-header on a holiday. Stay on, the toss and teams coming your way in a bit ..

Teams:

Karachi Kings (From): Khurram Manzoor, Joe Denly, Babar Azam, Colin Ingram, Ravi Bopara, Mohammad Rizwan(w), Imad Wasim(c), Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Irfan Jnr, Tymal Mills, Usman Khan, Mohammad Amir, David Wiese, Mohammad Taha, Hasan Mohsin, Eoin Morgan, Saifullah Bangash, Tabish Khan, Usama Mir, Lendl Simmons

Multan Sultans (From): Kumar Sangakkara(w), Ahmed Shehzad, Darren Bravo, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik(c), Kieron Pollard, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Tahir, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Ross Whiteley, Hardus Viljoen, Umar Siddiq, Umar Gul, Mohammad Abbas, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Kashif Bhatti, Nicholas Pooran