Islamabad United 153 for 2 (Minhas 58, Conway 53, Shadab 31*, Moeen 1-14) beat Karachi Kings 150 for 6 (Hendricks 51*, Roy 39, Azam 34, Gleeson 2-22, Shadab 2-28) by eight wickets
These two sides are moving in opposite directions. Islamabad United nudged up to second in the table with a fourth win in five matches, crushing the hosts Karachi Kings, inflicting a third consecutive defeat on Moeen Ali's team.
It came thanks to a clinical all-round performance that saw the United bowlers keep the Kings' pep bottled up, never allowing the batting side to enjoy a purple patch. They were restricted to 150, the sort of total that has historically proved meat and drink for United's bellicose style of play. A 93-run opening stand between half-centurions Sameer Minhas and Devon Conway cracked open the chase, while a whirlwind cameo from captain Shadab Khan helped his side finish with a flourish with four overs in reserve.
Asked to bat, Kings had Jason Roy to call upon atop the order, and for a while, he rolled back the years. While Reeza Hendricks at the other end struggled through a tortured innings that produced an unbeaten 51 off 44, Roy overcame a slow start to turn his innings around. It began with a walloping inflicted on Imad Wasim, before he took turns directing his ire at Richard Gleeson, Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Hasnain - a flat six over cover off Hasnain's bowling perhaps the shot of the game.
But Shadab, clad in flamingo pink as part of a breast cancer awareness drive, has seen his legspin blossom into life this tournament. In his second over, it would bring about Roy's downfall as he drew him into holing out. Soon after, Salman Agha was beaten in the air, and Kings began to be dragged back.
A partnership between Hendricks and Azam Khan tried to reignite the innings, with limited success. United's bowlers kept their discipline, and their fielders backed them up, highlighted by a wonderful relay catch between Minhas and Mark Chapman. The last five overs yielded just 30 runs, and United's job was half done.
Conway and Minhas made short work of the other half. Mir Hamza and Hasan Ali were put to the sword in the first two overs, while Minhas smashed Pakistan's T20 captain Agha out of the attack after one boundary-laden over. He went on to do much of the same to Khushdil Shah, smashing him for four fours before he disappeared from the attack.
It meant 67 came off the powerplay, which allowed them the luxury of affording Adam Zampa and Moeen a bit of respect. The Kings' captain finally did send Minhas back, but not before he had powered his way to 58 off 36, leaving his captain Shadab the chance to finish in style.
Brimming with confidence, Shadab did just that. A statement six over cover off Zampa indicated he would target just about anyone, including his good friend Hasan, whose third over went for another 15. At the very end of the cakewalk, Conway jabbed one to midwicket to bring up his half-century as the winning runs.
United are beginning to get that glint in their eye that is so lethal at the backend of PSL tournaments against a Kings side that, as happens so often in this league, are fading gently away.
