Karachi Kings became the second team in the HBL PSL 2020 to secure a semi-final berth with a four-wicket win over Islamabad United at Karachi’s National Stadium on Saturday.
With this defeat, Islamabad United, the two-time champions, are knocked out of the tournament.
Kings’ chased down the 137-run target with four balls spare as Umaid Asif hit the winning runs by dispatching Rumman Raees for a boundary by clearing the mid-off fielder.
Kings were on their course of another comfortable win but United captain Shadab Khan dismissed Colin Munro (11 off 24) and Iftikhar Ahmed (one off four) in the middle-phase of the innings which lightened up the contest.
Zafar Gohar dismissed King’s captain Imad Wasim (26 off 34) on the first ball of the 17th over as the home side slipped to 106 for five from to 90 for two.
Kings were provided a blistering start by Sharjeel Khan who smashed two sixes and two fours off Musa Khan in the first over.
The left-handed opener spanked Zafar for two consecutive sixes in the next over to help Kings pile up 35 runs from the first two overs.
He put a sparkling 60-run opening stand – stretching across first five overs – with Babar Azam (19 off 20).
Sharjeel was Kings’ first wicket to fall as he was trapped LBW by Akif Javed and Babar followed him back in the next over as he played-on Musa Khan as the home side lost their both openers without any score added to the total.
Earlier, Islamabad United, asked to bat first, had made 136 for the loss of six wickets.
With 37, Hussain Talat had top-scored for them. The all-rounder struck four fours in his 30 ball stay.
United looked on course of putting up a high score as they were 76 for two by the end of the first half of their innings with Hussain well-set at the crease and in-form Shadab, who is the fourth highest run-getter this season, joining him.
But, the dismissal of Shadab (12 off 14) by Arshad Iqbal on the penultimate ball of the 11th over turned the innings on its head as United managed only 54 runs in the last nine overs.
The wicket of Hussain on the last ball of the 14th over off Iftikhar Ahmed’s off-spin sparked a brief collapse as United lost three wickets for 19 runs and slipped to 116 for six from 97 for four.
Umaid Asif, Chris Jordan, Imad Wasim, Arshad and Iftikhar picked up a wicket each, while Colin Ingram, United’s last wicket to fall, was run-out.
Karachi Kings play their last group match against Quetta Gladiators tomorrow, 15 March, at the National Stadium. The match will begin at 7pm.
Scores in brief:
Islamabad United 136-6, 20 overs (Hussain Talat 37, Phil Salt 25)
Karachi Kings 137-6, 19.2 overs (Sharjeel Khan 37, Imad Wasim 26; Shadab Khan 2-28)
Result Karachi Kings win by four wickets