Kings hope to tame United again in Dubai tonight

SHARJAH: Buoyed up by their impressive victory in a must-win HBL Pakistan Super League match against Islamabad United on Friday night, Karachi Kings were hoping to bring in similar intensity for Sunday’s Qualifier in Dubai.

The Kings proved too good for United in a seven-wicket triumph in Sharjah and they will now be fancying their chances of making it to the March 25 finale in Karachi. The only hurdle in their way is Islamabad, again.

However, things are likely to be different in Dubai.

At Sharjah, Islamabad took the field having already booked a place in the Qualifier and didn’t really go all out. In Dubai, they sure will.

Karachi, meanwhile, were in desperate need of a win and got it thanks to a brilliant spell from Usman Shinwari.

Islamabad rested Luke Ronchi, their top-scorer, and were reduced to 63 for five in the 11th over at one stage.

In the end they scraped through to 124 with Usman picking up four wickets, and Joe Denly and Colin Ingram guided Karachi through to a win in 17 overs.

A thrilling spell of raw fast-bowling from the 23-year old Usman was too hot for league leaders Islamabad to handle, as he burst through Islamabad with four wickets for 17 runs. Mohammad Amir and Tymal Mills were nearly as impressive, if not quite as prolific as far as the wickets were concerned. Shahid Afridi also chipped in, taking two wickets as Misbah-ul-Haq’s men were bowled out in 19 overs for just 124.

Karachi Kings needed to score just 109 to ensure safe passage into the playoffs, but they never looked like falling short of the real target. A characteristically truculent knock from Joe Denly on his 32nd birthday set them on their way, the former England international smashing 36 off 28 balls.

Besides that, the pace of the chase was sedate, but then again, it needn’t have been any more than that. All the excitement had come in the first innings, and this was simply going to be a procession. Babar Azam and Colin Ingram played calm innings to see their side through to Sunday’s Qualifier.

Score Board

Karachi Kings won toss

Islamabad United

J P Duminy lbw b Usman 4

A D Hales c & b Irfan 11

†C A K Walton b Afridi 21

*Misbah-ul-Haq b Afridi 19

Hussain Talat c Ingram b Irfan 1

Asif Ali b Mills 34

Shadab Khan c Babar b Amir 8

Faheem Ashraf b Usman Khan 4

Amad Butt not out 13

Zafar Gohar c Afridi b Usman 3

S T Finn lbw b Usman 0

Extras (lb 5, w 1) 6

Total (all out; 19 Overs) 124

Fall: 1-5, 2-17, 3-52, 4-61, 5-63, 6-103, 7-105, 8-113, 9-123, 10-124

Bowling: Amir 3-0-14-1 (1w); Usman 4-0-17-4; Irfan 4-0-44-2; Mills 4-0-26-1; Afridi 4-1-18-2

Karachi Kings

Khurram Manzoor lbw b Finn 15

J L Denly b Faheem Ashraf 36

Babar Azam not out 29

*E J G Morgan c Walton b Shadab 2

C A Ingram not out 31

Extras (lb 6, w 6) 12

Total (3 wickets; 17 overs) 125

Did not bat: Shahid Afridi, †Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, T S Mills, Usman Khan, Mohammad Irfan

Fall: 1-33, 2-69, 3-72

Bowling: Zafar 3-0-21-0 (2w); Amad 2-0-27-0; Finn 3-0-21-1; Shadab 4-0-22-1 (1w); Faheem 3-0-13-1; Duminy 2-0-15-0

Result: Karachi Kings won by 7 wickets

Man of the Match: Usman Khan (KK)

Umpires: Khalid Mahmood and Aleem Dar. TV umpire: Ahmed Shahab. Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama