SHARJAH: Karachi Kings were left with huge amount of catching up to do after their latest appearance in the HBL Pakistan Super League saw the ruthless Islamabad United trounce them by seven wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday night.

Chasing a relatively modest 144, Luke Ronchi and Samit Patel made mockery of the target in a breezy 43-ball unbroken partnership of 62.

Ronchi faced just 35 balls to clobber 67 while bludgeoning eight fours and three sixes in a man-of-the-match performance. Patel, on the other hand, timed the ball to hit six fours and a six during his 30-ball knock of 45.

The Kings’ third defeat in four outings means they still are rooted to the bottom of the standings before they confront the high-flying Quetta Gladiators in the night fixture on Sunday after Peshawar Zalmi and Multan Sultans play in the first tie of the double-header on the last day of PSL action in Sharjah this time.

After being put in by Shadab Khan, leading the defending champions in place of the regular captain Mohammad Sami who was sidelined by a foot injury, the Kings were soon reeling at 25-3. Colin Munro’s debut in the league lasted just a single ball as the New Zealander fell to Rumman Raees Khan for a golden duck when Hussain Talat held a smart low catch at deep square leg.

Babar Azam’s wicket further dented the Kings when the Pakistan batsman was run out for 27 to leave his team wobbling at 46-4. How­ever, Ben Dunk (49 off 32 balls) and Aamir Yamin (35 off only 19 deliveries) put on 69 in 37 balls without being separated to take the final total to 143-6.

Scoreboard

KARACHI KINGS:

Babar Azam run out 27
C. Munro c Hussain b Rumman 0
Awais Zia c Patel b Musa 3
C.A. Ingram c Rumman b Faheem 5
L.S. Livingstone b Faheem 22
B.R. Dunk not out 49
Imad Wasim b Faheem 0
Aamir Yamin not out 35

EXTRAS: (LB-1, W-1) 2
TOTAL: (for six wkts, 20 overs) 143
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-19, 3-25, 4-46, 5-74, 6-74.
BOWLING: Rumman Raees Khan 4-0-34-1 (1w); Mohammad Musa Khan 4-0-28-1; Faheem Ashraf 4-0-26-3; Shadab Khan 4-0-18-0; Patel 3-0-20-0; Parnell 1-0-16-0.

ISLAMABAD UNITED:

L. Ronchi not out 67
C.S. Delport run out 0
Sahibzada Farhan b Imad 30
Hussain Talat st Dunk b Imad 0
S.R. Patel not out 45

EXTRAS: (LB-4, W-1) 5
TOTAL: (for 3 wkts, 16.1 overs) 147
FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-85, 3-85.
BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 4-0-39-0; Aamir Yamin 2-0-19-0 (1w); Usman Khan Shinwari 2-0-29-0; Imad Wasim 4-0-27-2; Umar Khan 4-0-25-0; Munro 1-0-4-0; Awais Zia 0.1-0-4-0.

RESULT: Islamabad United won by seven wickets.
UMPIRES: Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan) and R.K. Illingworth (England).
TV UMPIRE: M.A. Gough (England).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Luke Ronchi.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2019