KARACHI: Islamabad United’s skipper – Shadab Khan led the way; taking four wickets as the side defeated Karachi Kings by 42 runs in the 14th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7.
Set to chase 178, Kings’ batting line-up fell short and could only manage to score 135-9 in the allotted 20 overs.
The home side kept losing the wickets at a consistent rate and in the end, fell short of 42 runs. Mohammad Nabi resisted a bit down the order with his unbeaten 47 off 28 balls, laced with five boundaries and two sixes. But, with no support from the other end, the batter’s heroics too could not steer the side over the line.
Apart from Nabi, Sahibzada Farhan scored 25 off 18 before getting run-out in the eighth over. Whereas, the rest of the Kings’ batters failed to contribute significantly to the team.
For the United, Shadab took four wickets for just 15, while Hasan Ali, Mohammad Wasim, and Waqas Maqsood made one scalp each.
After deciding to bat first, United were off to a good start with openers Alex Hales and Paul Stirling scoring 66 runs together. Stirling scored 39 runs laced with three boundaries and two sixes whereas Hales contributed 30 including five boundaries.
In middle overs, Kings controlled the flow of runs but United made a comeback and reached a defendable total. Colin Munro scored run-a-ball 33 while Shadab made 34 including four boundaries and a six.
In the end, Azam Khan scored quick 16 with the help of two boundaries and a six whereas Faheem Ashraf fire powered seven off five with a six.
For Kings, Chris Jordan took two wickets while Umaid Asif, Usman Shinwari, Imad Wasim and Nabi shared a wicket apiece.
