The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
That brings us to the end of our coverage for this encounter. Lots of cricketing action lined up tomorrow as well. So join us then but for now this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) bidding adieu also on behalf of my fellow commentator and good mate Rajarshi Das. Goodnight! Cheers!
Shadab Khan (Islamabad United captain): I think overall it was a lovely game. It was great to see the team make comeback after the loss in the previous games. We lost three games in a row but how we played today was outstanding. We were not upto the mark in fielding. I think we have to put more on the field. As a bowling unit it was very good. When Pollard was playing and Hunain executed his plans. Sometimes you go for runs but that's fine. I couldn't say much as I was in the physio bed due to the collision.
Colin Munro is the Player of the Match, here is what he had to say: Yeah it's nice to see you again. Not a great start to the tournament for me. Nice to finally contribute to a win. Yeah I think when Rehan first got me here and Luke Ronchi out there our job was to utilise the powerplay. We had to adapt to the conditions a bit but tonight was a comprehensive win. We left a little bit out there. A complete performance today and our bowlers bowled very well today.
Time for the post-match presentation ceremony.
Shan Masood, Karachi Kings captain: We always feel short at the end of the game. Anything above 170 would be a good score is what I reckoned when I saw the pitch. The spikes were making the surface wear off. We fell 15-20 runs short at the end. It's competitive, today was an ideal opportunity to assert ourselves at the top of the group, unfortunately we couldn't do it. That's the learning here, you've got to assess the newer conditions and be on the mark from the word go. There aren't areas of concerns, we'll take responsibility at the top-order, but today we had to chop and change, which was a bit forced because of the stomach bug we had around. We'd like some more runs from the top-order. When you lose you want to correct the mistakes quickly.
Mike Hesson, Islamabad United head coach: We started well with the ball, weren't great in the powerplay so far, nice to use Imad up front. We kept the stumps in play, which was nice. We got ahead of the game with the bat - Munro was outstanding but the partnership with Hales was critical. We wanted to get Imad in the game early, and then halfway into the chase went "Mate chuck your pads on", he was willing to do. Nice to put a good performance from him. Control the controlables - we didn't play well the first three games, to be fair we almost got over the line in them and we weren't at our best. If we focus on our performances, we can make it tough for the opponents. The fact we got ahead of the rate so quickly made it easy for everybody else. The over off Shamsi turned the tide.
Islamabad United won by 7 wickets (with 9 deliveries to spare)
Colin Munro 82(47) | Agha Salman 1/17(2) Kieron Pollard 48*(28) | Mohammad Nawaz 1/23(4)
It turned out to be a rather comfortable victory for Islamabad United as they chased down the target of 166 quite easily in the end with 7 wickets in hand. Colin Munro and Alex Hales were the pioneers of the victory as they helped Islamabad United get off to a flying start in the powerplay and despite losing a few wickets towards the middle overs, the duo had already laid the foundation for the rest of the batters.
The score of 165 was a below-par one and despite a good effort from the Karachi Kings bowlers, the opening partnsrship was enough to seal the deal for Islamabad United. Mir Hamza started off by conceding 10 runs in the opening over before Shoaib Malik steadied things with a couple of tidy overs. Hasan Ali and Hamza got the treatment in their next over as Hales and Munro went hammers and tongs. They took calculated risks and it paid off.
The game-changing over was the first over bowled by Tabraiz Shami which went for 19 runs. Colin Munro toyed with him like a schoolboy despite not bowling badly. A couple of sweeps and a reverse went for sixes as Islamabad United stamped their authority in the game. The duo tried to continue the onslaught and perished in the process. Hales smashed a slower one from Hasan Ali straight down the throat of the deep midwicket fielder. Colin Munro continued the good work and scored 82 off 47 deliveries, including 8 fours and 4 sixes.
He batted superbly before getting trapped in front by Mohammad Nawaz. Imad Wasim was sent up the order but couldn't quite make any significant impact. In the end, it was Salman Agha and Shadab Khan who took their side over the finish line. A beautiful pickup shot followed by a flick of the wrist were the last two shots in the match and they will be very happy with the all-round performance.
Agha Salman finishes it off in style. An emphatic win for the Islamabad United and their dominance over the Karachi Kings continue. This is how they play their cricket and in the end made very light work of the target. Agha Salman with a couple of big sixes to take their side home. The Islamabad United will be very happy with the two points here. The Karachi Kings made a good comeback with the bat during the final stages of the innings but it didn't prove to be enough in the end.
18.3 Hasan Ali to Agha Salman, SIX! Game, set and match! Short of a length around off, Salman rocks back and across and pulls at this one. The timing is adequate for the ball to fly over the hoardings behind square!
That made a sweet sound. Salman Agha is having a great tournament. Right in the slot from Hasan Ali and it has been launched over the deep midwicket fence.
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National Stadium, Karachi
