Karachi
Islamabad United created a new chapter in the history of Pakistan Super League (PSL) when it became the first team in the league to win a match with 10 overs remaining in their innings.
Being set a target of 134 by Quetta Gladiators in match 18 of PSL 2021, the Shadab Khan-led United outclassed its opponent and reached the target without any loss on the last ball of the 10th over of their innings.
This win, with 60 balls remaining in the 2nd innings, is the biggest in the history of PSL in terms of balls remaining in the innings for the batting side when they reached the target.
The previous record was with Peshawar Zalmi when it reached a target of 79 against Lahore Qalandars in 2019 in 10.1 overs, with 59 balls remaining in the innings.
This is only the third time a team reached a target without losing a wicket in a PSL match.
Two others are Peshawar Zalmi and Karachi Kings, both had defeated Lahore Qalandars by 10 wickets, in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
United’s Colin Munro smashed 90* of 36 balls with a strike rate of 250.00 in the match which is the highest strike rate of any batsman scoring at least 80 runs in a PSL innings.
The previous highest was by Qalandars’ Ben Dunk who scored 99* off 40 with a strike rate of 247.50 against Karachi Kings in 2020.
A clinical performance by the Islamabad United openers helped them secure a 10-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators in match 18 of the Pakistan Super League at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed stadium on Friday.
Usman Khawaja and Colin Munro, who opened the innings for United, gave a masterclass to the Gladiators on how to bat on the pitch.
Both the openers gave no respite to the Gladiators bowler with Naseem Shah, Khurram Shahzad, Jack Wildermuth, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Nawaz and Zahid Mahmood looking helpless against the attack.
At the end of the powerplay, Islamabad United were 97/0. The onslaught by the openers helped United set the record for the highest score in the powerplay in PSL history.
No matter what the Gladiators captain threw at Khawaja and Munro they always had an answer.
And at the end of the 10th over, Munro hit a six to wrap up the match for United. It was also the first time that a team won a match within 10 overs.
The Islamabad United now stand in second in the points table and the Quetta Gladiators who stand at bottom of the table need to win all their matches from here on to reach the playoffs.—Agencies
