Islamabad United on Thursday swept aside Karachi Kings at National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi to announce their arrival in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Even though Thursday’s match was their first for the eighth season of the tournament, heroics from Colin Munro, Azam Khan and a late hurrah from Tom Curran saw the lions clinch their fifth victory in a row.
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With a cheetah loose in the federal capital, the team bearing its name and a maned crest on their chests, United ran amok in the National Bank Arena in Karachi and mauled Kings’ bowlers.
Islamabad United batting
Islamabad United lost their first wicket early, Hassan Nawaz was dismissed by Muhammad Amir after scoring just seven runs.
Muhammad Musa, who replaced injured Mir Hamza, also struck in the fifth over and got Paul Stirling LBW for just four runs.
Islamabad ended the powerplay with 45 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Russie van der Dussen and Colin Munro played aggressively and brought up their fifty partnership in just 4.4 overs.
They attacked the newcomer of Karachi Kings, James Fuller, who conceded 28 runs in just two overs.
The partnership was broken in the 10th over when Imad Wasim bowled Van der Dussen for 31 runs.
The wicket did not help Karachi Kings much as it brought Azam Khan on the crease, who smacked Muhammad Musa for two fours and a six in the 12th over, also bringing up Islamabad’s century in the process.
Colin Munro also kept hitting shots all over the park and reached his fifty off just 24 balls with the help of three sixes and five fours.
But Munro was ran out in the 15th over for 58 with the score at 136 for four.
With United needing just 38 more runs for victory, the pressure is on Azam Khan and Asif Ali.
Azam, though, has held up all the hopes of Islamabad United in making a winning start, scoring 44 off just 28 runs.
But Musa struck in the beginning of the 17th over to see Azam’s wayward shot caught at midwicket.
It meant that Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf have all to do it now to get the final 23 runs.
The two tried to get some runs going, the pressure of the mounting run rate causing Ashraf to smash one through the onside but Irfan Khan dove to pluck it out of the air. It left United at 165 for six.
With just 11 runs needed, the arrival of Tom Curran added to the Kings’ misery. Needing just two runs, he clobbered Shoaib Malik for a massive six to wrap up the match.
Karachi Kings batting
Opener James Vince failed to make much impact as he was dismissed by Rumman Raees in the first over for just four runs.
But an early wicket did not stop Sharjeel Khan and Haider Ali from playing aggressive shots.
Sharjeel Khan attacked the English bowler Tom Curran in the fifth over and smacked him for two boundaries, a six to help Islamabad United reach 42 runs in five overs.
Haider Ali also assisted him well and the pair brought up the half-century of their partnership.
Karachi Kings looked comfortable at the half way stage as they were 81 for the loss of just one wicket after 10 overs, but in the 11th over Tom Curran dismissed Sharjeel Khan for 34 runs.
Haider Ali reached his fifty, first one for Karachi Kings, off just 38 balls by smashing Shadab Khan for a six and a four in the 12th over.
Karachi Kings reached 100 in the 13th over but soon Faheem Ashraf picked up his first wicket in the 14th over when he dismissed Haider Ali for 59 runs.
Muhammad Wasim Junior struck twice in the 16th over when he sent back Matthew Wade and Imad Wasim back to pavillion on consecutive deliveries.
After losing both fourth and the fifth wicket for 125 runs, Karachi Kings’ hopes of reaching big total were hurt by the opposition.
Irfan Khan smacked two sixes to help Karachi Kings reach 150 in the 19th over but his little cameo also came to an end after scoring 19 runs.
Shoaib Malik scored 18 runs off 10 balls whereas James Fuller added 12 runs off five balls. Karachi Kings ended their innings at 173 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs.
