yorker on fifth stump, shuffles across and jams this off the toe into the off side for a winning single. They call for the DRS review. But he was hit seemingly well outside off with plenty of bat before it. Game over. United win by five wickets with five balls to spare.
United won by 5 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)
That's it from us tonight. Keep your eyes peeled for Danyal Rasool's report. For Danyal on comms, I'm Peter Della Penna. Off day tomorrow. Come back on Friday for more PSL action. Until then, take care!
Alex Hales named Man of the Match: "It was obviously a really big chase and I thought we had to knock the teeth out of it early. I felt like the pitch was getting slower as the game went on so my plan was to be really attacking in the Powerplay and get the run rate below 10 and fortunately that worked tonight. It was quite nice with the new ball and pace on the ball, but it was spinning quite a lot in our innings and the slower balls were holding so that makes our chase even more impressive. We've had two really good team wins. We had our backs against the wall a few days ago in the chase and got over the line. To chase such a big total with different guys contributing at different times is really good."
Karachi Kings captain Imad Wasim: "In the Powerplay we were short 20 runs the way we started. We have to sort it out. Credit to Hales and at the end Asif Ali. It wasn't spinning and then suddenly it started spinning. I think it was the dew. I gave Nabi the 18th over because he was the best bowler tonight. I would be very annoyed if I didn't give him four overs. You don't lose the tournament if you lose the second game so it's just the start of the tournament. I think we'll rectify the errors and come back very hard. Sharjeel I think he played brilliantly. The class he showed, it's like he's back and is very much up there with the best batsmen in Pakistan and I hope he can keep batting like that. I think we bowled well but a couple of overs didn't go according to plan."
10.52 pm Islamabad make simple work of a target which appeared lofty on paper but in reality was well under par thanks to a dreadful Powerplay and finish to the innings by Karachi Kings. Islamabad on the other hand had a sensationally fiery Powerplay thanks to Alex Hales.
Waqas Maqsood to bowl the final over.
Scores are level now.
short and wide, uppercut slaps this in the air toward Babar Azam at deep third man, who shows he's mentally given up on this game by allowing it to bounce in front of him rather than attempt a possible diving catch coming forward.
goes for a leg stump yorker... and misses very badly. Thigh high full toss is flicked wristily off the facade of the roof and lands 15 rows back into the red seats.
Down to a run a ball equation now.
another attempted wide yorker, but can't pitch it and a low full toss at shin height on seventh stump is muscled over wide mid-on for a boundary, bouncing just inches short of the rope.
wide yorker, this time Asif Ali can't jam this out. Very marginal but just barely inside the guideline.
full and very wide, slapped behind point and they take on the arm on the boundary for a very sharp pair.
full outside off, shuffles way outside off to ramp over fine leg but misses.
good length ball on the stumps, flicked to deep midwicket.
what a way to get off the mark! Bowls this flat on middle, Asif Ali doesn't mince words getting on a knee to slog sweep his first delivery high and deep over midwicket, clangs off a section dividing stanchion.
looks stone dead and the finger goes up! Nabi with a clever change of line darting this flatter on off stump, it straightens and beats the attempted back foot flick by Talat trying to pinch a single to midwicket. Talat goes for the review. Seems more in hope than in belief that it will be overturned. Only way it's not out is if he was out outside the line of off stump, but the ball-tracker shows he was hit fully in line, not even umpire's call, and the ball was knocking back a fleshy part of the stumps. Aleem Dar's decision is upheld.
good length ball on sixth stump spins sharply past the attempted dab to third man.
full on the legs, clipped behind square for one.
First boundary conceded by Nabi, couldn't have come at a worse time for Karachi. Islamabad would have to do something spectacularly clumsy to lose from here now.
flighted full on the legs, slog sweep sends this sailing over deep backward square.
wide yorker defeats the attempted stab out to point by Iftikhar, but the keeper fumbles to take to allow a bye.
offcutter length ball on fifth stump, gets deep in the crease to heave this high and deep just barely clearing the man on the long-on rope leaping in vain.
short and wide slower ball again, this time slaps it into the pitch and Amir knocks it down pawing it with his left hand reaching across Talat at the non-striker's end.
slower ball lands short on sixth stump, but he keeps his wrists back long enough to muscle this with his forearms over the non-striker and beats long-off, who was fielding very wide, to the rope.
short on fourth stump, bottom edged cut goes past the stumps toward fine leg.
good length ball on fourth stump, opens the face to guide this to short third man for what should be a very easy single, but a horrendously sloppy misfield by Waqas Maqsood draws a string of Urdu curse words from Amir, as well as a second run.
Amir replaces Arshad.
Mudassar: "@waseem. Remember gully cricket rules? If you bat then cant bowl early :) NABI had the same case"
good length ball on off, spins in and clangs into the hips after a missed attempt to flick to the leg side.
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
National Stadium, Karachi | |
Toss | Islamabad United, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2020/21 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 24 February 2021 - night (20-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Islamabad United 2, Karachi Kings 0 |
Over 20 • IU 197/5
United won by 5 wickets (with 5 balls remaining)