KARACHI: Hyderabad Kingsmen continued their winning journey in the Pakistan Super League with a commanding six-wicket win over Islamabad United in the 21st match at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
The victory marked their second in as many days, coming on the heels of their triumph against Karachi Kings, and signaled a sharp turnaround after a string of four early defeats in the tournament.
Chasing 154, the Kingsmen approached the target with composure, reaching it with four wickets down and 11 balls remaining. The innings was anchored by skipper Marnus Labuschagne, who remained unbeaten on 61 off 53 deliveries, striking six boundaries in a calm and controlled knock.
He found solid backing from the top order, with Maaz Sadaqat contributing a quickfire 30 and Saim Ayub adding a fluent 35. The chase was effectively sealed with a brisk unbeaten cameo from Glenn Maxwell, who smashed 21 off just nine balls to finish things off in style.
Earlier, Asif Mehmood set the tone with a brilliant four-wicket haul that restricted Islamabad to a below-par total, laying the foundation for the Kingsmen’s comfortable win. For United, stand-in captain Chris Green and Faheem Ashraf picked up two wickets apiece
Hyderabad Kingsmen produced a tight and controlled bowling display to hold Islamabad United to 153 in the 21st match of Pakistan Super League 11 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday. The decision by Kingsmen captain Marnus Labuschagne to bowl first proved spot on, as the three-time champions were kept in check and only managed 153 for nine in their full quota of overs.
Islamabad United began their innings on a steady note, with openers Sameer Minhas and Devon Conway putting together a solid 56-run stand. The momentum, however, was broken just before the end of the powerplay when Mohammad Ali bowled Minhas. The young batter had looked dangerous during his short stay, scoring a quick 22 off 13 balls, including three boundaries and a six. Conway then stitched a brief partnership of 31 runs with Mohammad Faiq, but both batters were run out in the same over, leaving United in trouble at 89 for three. Conway stood out with a fluent 45 off 31 deliveries, striking seven fours, while Faiq added 18 from 14 balls with a six.
The innings lost further direction as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Haider Ali and Faheem Ashraf failed to make an impact, departing for six and five respectively, as United slipped to 113 for five in the latter stages of the innings.
Amid the collapse, Mark Chapman tried to steady things from one end with a fighting knock. He played some bold shots during his 42 off 30 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes, but his effort was cut short in the final over by debutant Asif Mehmood. Mehmood’s dangerous bowling turned the final over into a decisive moment, as he struck thrice in this over to remove Imad Wasim, first and then Mehran Mumtaz and Chris Green, ensuring United could not finish strongly.
The debutant was the standout performer with the ball, claiming four wickets for just 18 runs in his four overs. Mohammad Ali picked up two wickets, while Glenn Maxwell contributed with one, as Kingsmen’s bowlers combined effectively to keep United’s total within reach.
