Defending champions Islamabad start PSL campaign on winning note

Asif Ali justified his reputation of a big hitter as he smashed a whirlwind 19-ball 36 with three sixes and two boundaries to guide defending champions Islamabad United to a five-wicket win as Pakistan Super League kicked off in Dubai on Thursday.
The 27-year-old, son of an Ironsmith from Faisalabad, wielded his bat like a hammer as Islamabad United chased down 172-run target with four balls to spare, with Faheem Ashraf sending the ball sailing over mid-wicket for the winning six.
Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman had lifted Lahore to 171-8 with a polished 44-ball 65 studded with three sixes and six boundaries while fellow opener Sohail Akhtar made 30-ball 37.
Left-arm paceman Rahat Ali turned from hero to villian as Lahore Qalandars - having finished last in all three editions of the PSL - were brought back in the game with four wickets in his three overs for just 13 runs. But Asif smashed Rahat for two sixes in the 18th over to spoil his figures and snatched victory for Islamabad.
Hussian Talat made 30-ball 37 with three fours and a six but Islamabad were in a spot of bother, needing 103 in the last ten overs. But Asif put them on the winning ways with some clean hitting.
Lahore, like in the past three editions, lost their way in the final overs after getting a brisk 97-run start by the 11th over. They managed just 78 runs in the last ten, losing eight wickets.