Today, Islamabad United showed their strength by defeating Karachi Kings by 7 wickets in Match 15 of the HBL PSL 2024 at the National Stadium, Karachi.
Match Summary
Karachi Kings scored 165 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 20 overs.
Islamabad United chased the target, reaching 169 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 18.3 overs.
Islamabad United won the match by 7 wickets.
Match Analysis
On Wednesday night at the National Bank Stadium, Islamabad United clinched their second win of the tournament by defeating Karachi Kings with seven wickets. Colin Munro’s rapid half-century, earning him the player of the match title, propelled Islamabad to chase down the target of 166 runs. This victory marked the start of the Karachi leg of HBL PSL 9, giving Islamabad an edge over the home team.
Islamabad United won the toss and chose to field first. Skipper Shan Masood and Tim Seifert, who was making his debut in HBL PSL, started the innings for Karachi Kings. Seifert scored only eight runs off nine balls, hitting one six, before getting stumped off Imad Wasim’s bowling.
By the end of the powerplay, Karachi reached a score of 46-1. Another newcomer in the Karachi lineup, Leus du Plooy, and Shan formed a 40-run partnership for the second wicket, adding momentum to the score. Unfortunately, Salman Ali Agha dismissed du Plooy for 24 runs in the eighth over, halting their partnership.
In the 10th over, Hunain Shah entered the attack and bowled out Shan, knocking over his off-stump on the penultimate delivery. The Karachi skipper had to depart after scoring 27 runs off 30 balls, including three boundaries.
In the next over, Shoaib Malik, scoring 6 runs off 7 balls, got run out by Azam, bringing Karachi’s score to 73-4 in 10.1 overs.
The situation worsened as Mohammad Nawaz, making 6 runs off 11 balls, got caught by Shadab off Naseem Shah’s bowling in the 14th over, shortly after Naseem was reintroduced into the attack.
Kieron Pollard, scoring 48 runs not out off 28 balls with 2 fours and 1 six, along with Muhammad Irfan Khan, scoring 27 runs not out off 22 balls with 4 fours, joined forces in the middle to salvage Karachi’s innings in the final six overs. Their unbeaten partnership for the sixth wicket amounted to 76 runs off 42 deliveries, helping Karachi reach a competitive total of 165-5.
In the last four overs, Karachi scored 62 runs. Muhammad Irfan took on Rumman Raees in the 19th over, hitting three consecutive boundaries. In the final over, Hunain conceded a maximum to Pollard. On the last delivery, Pollard and Irfan managed to run four runs after Shadab and Alex Hales collided in the field while attempting to stop the ball.
Imad, Hunain, Naseem, and Salman each took one wicket.
While chasing a target of 166, Colin Munro and Hales secured the victory for Islamabad with a 108-run opening partnership. Right from the start, they aggressively faced the Karachi bowling attack, showcasing their determination with three boundaries in the third over. Throughout the powerplay, they accumulated nine boundaries, reaching a score of 58 without losing any wickets.
Tabraiz Shamsi, brought in to bowl the eighth over, was hit for three consecutive sixes by Munro, who reached his 11th half-century in HBL PSL and his 66th in T20 career matches.
In the 12th over, Hales was caught at deep midwicket, giving Hasan Ali his 100th wicket in HBL PSL. Hasan Ali becomes only the second bowler, after Wahab Riaz, to achieve this milestone. Hales, the Islamabad opener, missed out on a half-century and was dismissed for 47 runs off 35 balls, hitting seven fours.
After losing the first wicket, Islamabad’s innings slowed down. Shortly afterward, Munro, who scored 82 runs off 47 balls with 8 fours and 4 sixes, was dismissed leg-before-wicket by Nawaz. The next batsman, Imad, got out without scoring any runs, caught by Shan off Shamsi after facing only two balls.
In the 16th over, skipper Shadab, scoring 10 not out off 11 balls, joined Salman, who was 25 not out off 17 balls with 2 sixes, at the crease, with only 27 runs left to win.
Salman secured the victory for Islamabad by hitting two consecutive sixes in the 19th over, completing the target with ease and with seven wickets in hand.
Hasan, Nawaz, and Shamsi each took one wicket.
Match Stats
Karachi Kings Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Tim Seifert – 2.4 overs), 2-57 (Leus du Plooy – 7.4 overs), 3-73 (Shan Masood – 9.5 overs), 4-73 (Shoaib Malik – 10.1 overs), 5-89 (Mohammad Nawaz – 13.1 overs)
Islamabad United Fall of wickets: 1-108 (Alex Hales – 11.3 overs), 2-138 (Colin Munro – 14.5 overs), 3-139 (Imad Wasim – 15.1 overs)
Playing XI
Karachi Kings
- Shan Masood (Captain)
- Tim Seifert (Wicketkeeper)
- Leus du Plooy
- Shoaib Malik
- Kieron Pollard
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Irfan Khan
- Hasan Ali
- Tabraiz Shamsi
- Mir Hamza
- Amir Khan
Islamabad United
- Alex Hales
- Colin Munro
- Agha Salman
- Shadab Khan (Captain)
- Azam Khan (Wicketkeeper)
- Jordan Cox
- Faheem Ashraf
- Imad Wasim
- Naseem Shah
- Rumman Raees
- Hunain Shah
Match Details
Date: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 Time: 14:00 Venue: National Stadium, Karachi
Toss: Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bowl
Match Officials:
- Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand), Rashid Riaz (Pakistan), Abdul Muqeet (Pakistan TV)
- Match Referee: Ali Naqvi (Pakistan)
