Colin Munro and Azam Khan's show seals the game against Karachi
Azam Khan and Colin Munro (Source: Twitter)
Riding on the back of two outstanding knocks from Colin Munro and Azam Khan, Islamabad United chased the total of 174 down within 19 overs with four wickets to spare.
Haider's fight gives Karachi a defendable total
After being asked to bat first, Karachi Kings lost their English superstar James Vince early in the first over. However, after which the duo of Sharjeel Khan and Haider Ali did their best to provide the much-needed resurgence.
Sharjeel played a strong hand with 26-ball 34 but couldn't stay after this as Tom Curran struck in the 11th over as the scoreboard read 82/2. On the other hand, Haider thumped 59 off 45 balls with two sixes and seven fours taking the score to 117 after he departed to a Faheem Ashraf delivery in the fifteenth over.
After he left, two more wickets fell courtesy of Mohammad Wasim Jr. as they were five down for 125 all of a sudden. But Irfan Khan and Shoaib Malik propelled the score to 173 after the end of their quota of 20 overs.
On the bowling front, Rumman Raees, Mohammad Wasim Jr. and Tom Curran bagged two each keeping their side in the game.
Munro and Azam take the centre stage
In pursuit of 174, the United lost Hassan Nawaz when the team's score was just eight and soon after, Irish Paul Stirling left for the pavilion too. With the score being just 21 and two down, they were looking for someone who could hold the innings together and they got that in the form of Rassie van der Dussen who played a calm knock of 31 from 25 balls.
But the game changed after Colin Munro and Azam Khan stunned the opposition with two quality knocks. They changed the gears rapidly as the Kiwi banged four sixes in his knock of 58 runs for which he consumed just 28 balls, after which he got runout.
Azam's stay at the crease was for 28 balls too where he managed 44 as when he got out the scorecard read 151/5 after the conclusion of 16 overs. With 23 required off the last four overs, not much was left as some quick runs from Ashraf and Curran did the job for them that too with 10 balls left.
Left-arm pacer Mohd. Amir bowled extremely well for his two wickets while Mohd. Musa went for a few runs but grabbed two as well.
Brief Scores:
Karachi Kings: 173/7 (20 Overs)
Haider Ali 59 (45), Sharjeel Khan 34 (26);
Rumman Raees 2/26 (4), Mohammad Wasim Jr 2/38 (4)
Islamabad United: 178/6 (18.2 Overs)
Colin Munro 58 (28), Azam Khan 44 (28);
Mohammad Amir 2/30 (4), Muhammad Musa 2/48 (4)
Match Result: Islamabad United won by 4 wickets
.jpg?im=Resize=(250, 250) "Arnav Chopra")
