Islamabad United produced a batting masterclass to crush Karachi Kings by 79 runs in a high-scoring Pakistan Super League (PSL) encounter on Monday, powered by explosive knocks from Alex Hales and Sahibzada Farhan at the Rawalpindi Stadium.
Islamabad posted a mammoth 251 for 5, one of the highest totals in PSL history, after being asked to bat first. In reply, Karachi Kings were bowled out for 172 in 18.2 overs, falling well short despite a late flourish from Abbas Afridi.
Opening the innings, Alex Hales smashed 88 off just 35 balls, peppering the boundary rope with six fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 251.42. He shared a 153-run opening stand with Sahibzada Farhan, who scored 73 off 41 balls.
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Captain Shadab Khan added late fireworks, hammering 42 off 19 balls before being run out in the penultimate over. The onslaught left Karachi bowlers struggling, with Khushdil Shah (4-0-58-1) and Aamer Jamal (4-0-51-1) among the most expensive.
In response, Karachi Kings lost regular wickets despite brief resistance from skipper David Warner (43 off 28) and opener Tim Seifert (26 off 17). Shadab Khan starred with the ball, picking up 4 wickets for 45 runs, while Salman Irshad claimed 3 for 28 to derail the chase.
A late cameo from Abbas Afridi (34 off 13) and Mir Hamza (12 off 6) offered some resistance, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Karachi from slumping to a heavy defeat.
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PSL 10 points table
| Team | Matches (M) | Wins (W) | Losses (L) | Points (PT) | Net Run Rate (NRR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quetta Gladiators (QG) | 10 | 7 | 2 | 15 | +1.393 |
| Islamabad United (IU) | 10 | 6 | 4 | 12 | +0.372 |
| Karachi Kings (KK) | 10 | 6 | 4 | 12 | +0.049 |
| Lahore Qalandars (LQ) | 10 | 5 | 4 | 11 | +1.036 |
| Peshawar Zalmi (PZ) | 10 | 4 | 6 | 8 | -0.293 |
| Multan Sultans (MS) | 10 | 1 | 9 | 2 | -2.449 |
Next fixture
As the action shifts to Lahore for play-offs, table-toppers Quetta Gladiators will face second-placed Islamabad United in a high-stakes qualifier at Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday. The winner will secure a direct spot in the final. The match is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM.
Past PSL winners
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PSL 2016 – Islamabad United
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PSL 2017 – Peshawar Zalmi
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PSL 2018 – Islamabad United
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PSL 2019 – Quetta Gladiators
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PSL 2020 – Karachi Kings
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PSL 2021 – Multan Sultans
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PSL 2022 - Lahore Qalandars
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PSL 2023 - Lahore Qalandars
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PSL 2024 - Islamabad United
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