Dubai: Islamabad United scored a nail-biting two-run win over Karachi Kings in the sixth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Stadium.
Shane Watson, who became the costliest player in the Indian Premier League auction on Saturday, showed his worth by bowling a tight last over when Karachi needed 16 runs to win. Ravi Bopara’s valiant effort through an unbeaten 32 with two fours and as many sixes went in vain.
Sent in to bat, Islamabad openers Watson and Sharjeel Khan put on 31 runs in four overs. Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim trapped Watson leg before for 13 with an arm ball that skid and hit his back-pad.
Khalid Latif, who joined Sharjeel, began aggressively by hitting Wasim for a boundary to the leg side and a six over long-off. Sharjeel too played some good shots and put on 45 runs for the second wicket before Mohammad Amir provided the breakthrough. Amir made Sharjeel on 28, swing to Wasim, who took a good catch at mid-wicket. Next man Ashar Zaidi was run out for 6. Much was expected from Andre Russell but leg-spinner Usama Mir had Russell caught and bowled.
With five overs to go, Islamabad were 91 for 4, needing some big hits from the rest of the batsmen. The 16th over was a disaster for Islamabad as Khalid, who batted well for his 39 off 35 balls with two sixes and one boundary, got yorked by Bopara. To make matters worse, Sam Billings too was run out for 4.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq lasted six balls to score four runs but Mohammad Sami hit a valuable 20 runs from nine balls and saw his team to 132 for 8.
Chasing the moderate total, Karachi Kings lost their in-form batsman Lendl Simmons, run out for 1, through a brilliant fielding by Zaidi in the covers. In the fourth over Saeed Ajmal trapped James Vince leg-before for 2 with a ball that drifted and broke back sharply. All eyes turned toward skipper Shoaib Malek but Imad Wasim who was stroking the ball well, was caught behind by wicketkeeper Billings diving to his left. In the eight over, Sami made Malek play on to his wicket for 6.
Young left-arm pacer Rumman Raees ended Iftikhar Ahmad’s short knock of 19. In the 15th over, Ajmal picked the wickets of Shakib Al Hasan and Saifullah Bangash to push them to the brink of defeat. To make things difficult, Sohail Tanvir got run out while backing up too far.
With forty runs needed from the last three overs, Bopara hit Sami for a six over long on. With twenty nine needed from last 12 balls and 16 from six balls, Watson bowled the last over, Bopara hit a six off the fifth ball but could not help the team reach the target.
Brief scores: Islamabad United 132 for 8 in 20 overs (Khalid Latif 39, Sharjeel Khan 28, Mohammad Sami 20, Ravi Bopara 2 for 25) Karachi Kings (Imad Wasim 29, Shakib Al Hasan 20, Ravi Bopara 32n.o, Saeed Ajmal 3 for 27) Man of the Match: Saeed Ajmal.
