Karachi Kings storm into PSL semifinal

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ALL SMILES: Imad Wasim (second left) celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Shadab Khan during the HBL PSL match in Karachi.
ALL SMILES: Imad Wasim (second left) celebrates with his teammates after dismissing Shadab Khan during the HBL PSL match in Karachi.

Dubai - Former champions Islamabad United bowed out of the tournament

By Liaqat Ali

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Published: Sat 14 Mar 2020, 9:50 PM

Last updated: Sat 14 Mar 2020, 11:57 PM

Karachi Kings stormed into the HBL PSL semifinal after their four-wicket victory against Islamabad United on Saturday. Former champions Islamabad United bowed out of the tournament.
Chasing a target of 136 runs, in-form Karachi openers Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam showed their intentions with some lusty hits.
Sharjeel got into a rhythm after a jittery start in this PSL. The left-hander plundered 20 runs off the first over bowled by Musa Khan.
Karachi looked in a hurry as they reached the 50-run mark in just four overs. Sharjeel was dealing in boundaries as he ran only one single and one two in his breezy knock of 37 which included four 6s and three 4s. The southpaw finally fell while trying to play a pull shot against Akif Javed and he was declared lbw. Babar (19) soon followed him, cleaned up by Musa.
Cameron Delport joined his captain Imad Wasim in the middle and normalcy returned. Delport and Iftikhar Ahmed were dismissed cheaply and the game fluctuated in Islamabad's favour. Chadwick Waltom (11) and Umaid Asif (13) took Karachi home in the tense final overs. Shadab conceded 13 runs in the the penultimate 19th over which cost Islamabad the game.
Most of the foreign players of Islamabad United left Pakistan due to coronavirus fears. Former champions were able to field only two foreign players (Phil Salt and Colin Ingram) against Karachi on Saturday. It was an opportunity for the local players to rise to the occasion.
Depleted Islamabad opened with Rizwan Hussain and Salt, who put on 35 runs for the first wicket.
Rizwan departed after scoring 17 runs followed by his opening partner Salt (25) to make it 59/2 in 7.1 overs.
Captain Shadab once again promoted himself in the batting order but failed in his plans as he managed only 12 off 14 balls. Hussain Talat got the chance but failed to grab it as he made 37 and departed when he looked set for a big score. Another player who has struggled in this tournament is Mohammed Asif. Once touted as a future prospect in limited overs game, Asif has not done any justice to his talent. He made only two runs and left Islamabad teetering on 100 for five in 15th over. Islamabad's innings failed to take off after Salt's dismissal as wickets continued to fall. They managed to put up 136/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
The PSL has done away with playoffs and made it a two-day affair with semifinals and a final. As we report 14 overseas players and an overseas coach are also leaving the PSL.
Now, the semifinal double-header will be staged on March 17 and the final on March 18, at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium.
Meanwhile, Pakistan international Asad Shafiq joined Multan Sultans' camp as a silver category player on Saturday.
Quetta Gladiators included Omair bin Yousaf as an emerging player.
Asad's and Omair's inclusions were approved by the Event Technical Committee which includes PCB CEO Wasim Khan, Bazid Khan, Marina Iqbal, Sameer Khosa and Dr Sohail Saleem.

Islamabad United
R Hussain c Walton b U Asif 17
P Salt  c Jordan b I Wasim 25
H Talat c Delport b I Ahmed 37
S Khan c I Ahmed b A Iqbal 12
C Ingram run out (Walton/Jordan) 14
A Ali c Usama Mir b Jordan 2
F Ashraf not out 12
Z Gohar not out 13
Extras (nb1, w3) 4
Total (6 wkts, 20 overs) 136
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-59, 3-79, 4-97, 5-100, 6-116
Bowling: M Amir 4-0-28-0; U Asif 2-0-14-1; C Jordan 4-0-28-1; I Wasim 3-0-23-1; U Mir 2-0-18-0; A Iqbal 2-0-13-1; I Ahmed 3-0-12-1
Karachi Kings
S Khan lbw b Akif Javed 37
B Azam b Muhammad Musa 19
C Delport b Shadab Khan 11
I Wasim c Salt b Z Gohar 26
I Ahmed c A Ali b S Khan 1
C Walton  c H Talat b R Raees 11
C Jordan not out 6
U Asif not out 13
Extras (b2, lb5, w6) 13
Total (6 wkts, 19.2 overs) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-60, 3-90, 4-104, 5-106, 6-118
Bowling: M Musa 4-1-24-1; Z Gohar 4-0-20-1; A Javed 3-0-20-1; R Raees 3.2-0-31-1; F Ashraf 1-0-7-0; S Khan 4-0-28-2
 


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