Islamabad United recorded the fourth highest chase in the Pakistan Super League history as they beat Karachi Kings by 5 wickets. The two sides won their first game comprehensively and were in high spirit before taking the field.
United skipper Shadab Khan continued the trend of bowling first and the two destructive openers of Karachi started the proceedings against an all-round Islamabad side. Babar Azam started aggressively but his explosive partner Sharjeel Khan struggled to get bat on ball.
However, it was a matter of time before Sharjeel unleashed himself as Shadab bore the brunt conceding four consecutive sixes. It was the start of something spectacular as the left-hander went all gunz blazing. From 7 off 18 balls, Sharjeel went on to score his next 98 off just 41 deliveries as he scored his second century of PSL career.
The duo added 176 runs for the opening partnership - highest ever in PSL - beating the previous 157 between Livingstone and Babar. However, the Pakistan captain could not really take off after reaching his fifty as he failed to score a boundary off the last 23 balls he faced and eventually departed after making 62 off 54 balls. His partner followed him the next ball as Kings lost two in the space of two balls.
With only two overs to go, Dan Christian and Mohammad Nabi tried their best to take the Kings close to 200 as they ended on 196 - the highest total so far in PSL 2021.
Christian smoked two fours in his 5-ball 12 whereas Nabi also smacked a huge six to set a daunting target for United.
The two-time PSL champions got off to the worse possible start as they lost Phil Salt in the opening over to Imad Wasim and skipper Shadab fell to Amir in the second over. Playing against his ex-team, Alex Hales went all-out attack and took his side close to 50 inside four overs.
Faheem Ashraf, promoted up the order, carried the momentum from the other end as United fired back. Hales and Faheem departed in the 6th and 7th over to give Kings the edge before Hussain Talat and Iftikhar Ahmed build a match-winning partnership of their own.
The duo struck a 94-run stand for the fifth wicket, taking the game away from Kings before Asif Ali applied the finishing touches with 9-ball 21 including 2 sixes and a boundary.
Alex Hales was named player of the match for his counter-attacking knock of 46 as Sharjeel’s blistering century went in vain.
United skipper Shadab Khan continued the trend of bowling first and the two destructive openers of Karachi started the proceedings against an all-round Islamabad side. Babar Azam started aggressively but his explosive partner Sharjeel Khan struggled to get bat on ball.
However, it was a matter of time before Sharjeel unleashed himself as Shadab bore the brunt conceding four consecutive sixes. It was the start of something spectacular as the left-hander went all gunz blazing. From 7 off 18 balls, Sharjeel went on to score his next 98 off just 41 deliveries as he scored his second century of PSL career.
The duo added 176 runs for the opening partnership - highest ever in PSL - beating the previous 157 between Livingstone and Babar. However, the Pakistan captain could not really take off after reaching his fifty as he failed to score a boundary off the last 23 balls he faced and eventually departed after making 62 off 54 balls. His partner followed him the next ball as Kings lost two in the space of two balls.
With only two overs to go, Dan Christian and Mohammad Nabi tried their best to take the Kings close to 200 as they ended on 196 - the highest total so far in PSL 2021.
Christian smoked two fours in his 5-ball 12 whereas Nabi also smacked a huge six to set a daunting target for United.
The two-time PSL champions got off to the worse possible start as they lost Phil Salt in the opening over to Imad Wasim and skipper Shadab fell to Amir in the second over. Playing against his ex-team, Alex Hales went all-out attack and took his side close to 50 inside four overs.
Faheem Ashraf, promoted up the order, carried the momentum from the other end as United fired back. Hales and Faheem departed in the 6th and 7th over to give Kings the edge before Hussain Talat and Iftikhar Ahmed build a match-winning partnership of their own.
The duo struck a 94-run stand for the fifth wicket, taking the game away from Kings before Asif Ali applied the finishing touches with 9-ball 21 including 2 sixes and a boundary.
Alex Hales was named player of the match for his counter-attacking knock of 46 as Sharjeel’s blistering century went in vain.
