Ton-up Usman helps Islamabad United post highest PSL total

A brilliant innings from Usman Khawaja and cameos by Colin Munro, Muhammad Asif, and Brandon King helped Islamabad United post the highest total in HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) history, a feat that came in their match on Thursday against Peshawar Zalmi.

Khawaja completed his century off 53 deliveries, helping Islamabad post 247 for 2 in the first innings.

Though all four top-order batsmen contributed with the bat, the day belonged to Pakistan-origin Australian Test batsman Usman Khawaja, who was made a stand-in captain earlier after Shadab Khan was rested.

The 34-year-old showed no sign of discomfort from the additional burden and played fluently throughout the innings, making a mockery of the Zalmi bowlers. He reached the milestone in just 53 balls, third-fastest after Kamran Akmal (off 33 balls), Cameron Delport (49) balls, and Sharjeel Khan (50 balls).

Earlier, Islamabad were asked to bat first by Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz.

Both openers, Munro and Khawaja, started off in grand fashion, and posed 54 runs without a wicket in the first powerplay. The duo collaborated for a 98-run opening stand off just 59 balls, before veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik got the better of Munro, bowling him out on an individual score of 47 runs off 28 balls.

The next batsman, Asif Ali, continued from where Munro had left off and smashed a 14-ball 43 runs before departing. In came Islamabad’s debutant Brandon King who was included in place of Shadab.

The explosive batsman contributed an invaluable 46 off just 22 balls to build an unbeaten 102-run partnership off just 43 balls and propel United to 247 runs for the loss of two wickets.