KARACHI: Barring a few worrisome moments, it was a cakewalk for Islamabad United at the National Stadium here in front of a far-from-the-capacity crowd on a hazy Thursday evening.
The 7th edition of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) kicked off on Wednesday, 16th February with a high-voltage match between Islamabad United and Karachi Kings. The two teams have always been strong contenders in the PSL and their clash was eagerly awaited by cricket fans from around the world.
Karachi Kings, who were the defending champions, won the toss and opted to field first. Islamabad United got off to a blistering start, with opener Colin Munro taking charge and smashing the Kings' bowlers all around the park. Munro was in scintillating form, hitting sixes and fours with ease, and had the Kings' bowlers completely rattled.
The left-handed New Zealander was well supported by his opening partner, Phil Salt, and the duo put up a century partnership in just 10 overs. Salt played a supporting role, rotating the strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking over, while Munro went after the Kings' bowlers.
Munro eventually fell for a brilliant 88 off just 56 balls, but he had done the damage and set the platform for United to post a huge total. The rest of the United batsmen also chipped in, with Hussain Talat and Iftikhar Ahmed making valuable contributions.
Karachi Kings, who had a daunting target of 196 to chase, got off to a poor start, losing their in-form opener, Sharjeel Khan, early on. Babar Azam, who is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world, tried to steady the ship, but he too fell cheaply.
The Kings never really recovered from those early blows and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Thisara Perera, who has a reputation for being a big-hitting all-rounder, played a cameo towards the end, but it was too little, too late for the Kings.
In the end, Islamabad United won the match comfortably by 5 wickets. Colin Munro was named the player of the match for his scintillating knock.
The win will give Islamabad United a lot of confidence going into the rest of the tournament. They are one of the most successful teams in the history of the PSL, having won the title twice, and they will be looking to add a third trophy to their cabinet this year.
For Karachi Kings, it is back to the drawing board. They are a strong team on paper, but will need to improve their performance if they want to defend their title. With a long way to go in the tournament, there is still time for them to turn things around.
Overall, it was a great start to the tournament, with some top-class cricket on display. Cricket fans around the world will be eagerly looking forward to the rest of the matches in the HBL PSL 2022.
0 Comments