KARACHI: Islamabad United batters Colin Munro and Azam Khan bolstered the touring side to seal a comprehensive four-wicket victory over Karachi Kings in the fourth match of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.
Put into bat first, the Kings accumulated a mammoth 173/7 in their allotted 20 overs at the back of a magnificent half-century by Haider.
The home side got off to a shaky start as they lost their opener James Vince (4) cheaply for a mere five runs in the first over.
Following the early setback, Haider put on a gritty second-wicket partnership with Sharjeel Khan and anchored the innings.
The duo added 77 runs for the stand before Tom Curran removed Sharjeel to hand United a much-needed breakthrough. The left-handed batter scored 34 off 26 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and a six.
Haider, on the other hand, continued to dominate the United bowlers and soon brought up his fifty in 38 deliveries amid his vital partnership with Matthew Wade (18) for the third wicket.
The right-handed young batter then could not manage to stretch his outstanding knock and fell victim to Faheem Ashraf in the 15th over.
He top-scored for the Kings with 59 off 45 balls, laced with seven boundaries and two sixes.
Haider’s dismissal triggered a frustrating collapse which resulted in the Kings slipping to 125/5 in the 16th over.
The brief collapse, however, did not bother the Kings’ march towards a competitive total as the side managed to raise a decent total on the board; courtesy of significant cameos from Irfan Khan Niazi (19) and James Fuller (12) at the death.
For the United, Rumman Raees, Mohammad Wasim Jr and Curran bagged two wickets each while Faheem could pick one.
