Sidelined Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal made a strong bid to return to the national team by turning in a match winning display for his Pakistan Super League team Islamabad United at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday night.

Ajmal claimed three wickets for 27 runs in his three overs, two in his last, as Islamabad made a strong defence of 132 for eight against Karachi Kings.

The 38-year-old Ajmal, who was playing his second competitive match in three months, struck with his first ball by dismissing James Vince before claiming Shakib Al Hasan (20) and Saifullah Bangash (0) to derail Karachi’s charge.

Karachi needed 13 to win the final over bowled by stand-in captain Shane Watson. The Aussie all-rounder was smashed for a four by tailender Mohammad Amir and a six by Ravi Bopara but he bounced back to bowl a well-directed yorker to seal Karachi’s fate.

Bopara, aiming to hit a four and clinch a sensational victory could only dig it out for a single as Islamabad edged it by two runs. It was the first win for Islamabad after two successive defeats while Karachi hurtled towards their second defeat in three games.

Bowling with a remodelled action, Ajmal was delighted at the way things turned out for him.

“I’ve been working hard on my bowling over the last one year,” he said after being adjudged man of the match.

“I’ve been trying to bring my variety back. Batsmen come out hard with big bats these days, so you have to keep trying different things. Glad it worked,” he added.

Later, Quetta Gladiators notched their third victory on the trot clinching a three-wicket win against Peshawar Zalmi. Chasing 136, Quetta were made to sweat before they finished on 139 for six.