In the PSL Match No.24th, Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by 5 wickets in the crucial match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
Islamabad United chased down the target of 150 runs with the loss of 7th wickets in the last over and beat the Kings.
Check: PSL Points Table for Season 9 and Remaining Matches
The chase started with Colin Munro (9) and Alex Hales (18) providing a decent start but Mir Hamza had his tail up with channel bowling, removing both of them.
The target chasing was started by the United opening stars Colin Munro (9) and Alex Hales (18) not providing a great start. Mir Hamza became the bowler to dismiss both openers.
United Skipper Shadab Khan and Salman Ali Agha made a good partnership. Salman Agha made 33 runs before getting dismissed by Blessing Muzaraban and Shadab made 34 runs and out by pacer Mir Hamza.
Being put into bat first, Karachi Kings posted a total of 150/7 in the given 20 overs, driven by a sensible innings from Pollard.
The visiting team experienced an unsteady start to their innings when Faheem Ashraf dismissed their captain, Shan Masood, in the fifth over with 34 runs on the scoreboard. Masood could only manage 10 off 12 deliveries, striking one boundary.
Faheem smashed again in the following over, compounding Karachi Kings’ challenges as they struggled to 43/2 in 6.4 overs.
Later, Karachi Kings suffered two more knocks as they lost the experienced Shoaib Malik (1) and Mohammad Nawaz (5) within nine overs, leaving them with just 49 runs on the board.
After the setback, Pollard partnered with James Vince, producing an impressive recovery.
The pair batted, donating 58 runs at a quick pace during their fifth-wicket partnership, which ended with Vince’s dismissal in the 14th over.
Vince played a stabilising innings, scoring 29 off 27 deliveries with the aid of five boundaries.
Pollard then briefly collaborated with Muhammad Irfan Khan before succumbing in the 18th over.
He emerged as the leading run-scorer for Karachi Kings, amassing a remarkable 39 off 28 deliveries, including three boundaries and an equal number of sixes.
Irfan followed suit in the subsequent over after a cautious 16, featuring one boundary and a six in his 13-ball innings.
Left-arm pacer Tymal Mills spearheaded the bowling attack for Islamabad United, claiming 3/34, with Faheem Ashraf notching up two wickets for 16 in his four overs.
Imad Wasim and Hunain Shah collectively secured two wickets for the team in the PSL match today.