Dubai (March 18, 2018): Another aggressive batting display by Luke Ronchi made the 155 chase look easy for Islamabad United in the qualifier against Karachi Kings in Dubai tonight.
What could be easily described as ‘the best innings of the PSL’, the Kiwi batsman scored 94 runs off 39 balls, including 12 fours and five sixes on the strike rate of 241.02. The Duminy-led team completed their chase in 12.3 overs.
United gun down the target of 155 off 77 balls! Sensational striking by @ronchi04 earned United a spot in the final in Karachi.
Good luck @IsbUnited see you at NSK!
All the best @KarachiKingsARY for the play-off at GSL.#IUvKK #DilSeJaanLagaDe #HBLPSL pic.twitter.com/LdQUiObWP2— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 18, 2018
Karachi, however, are not eliminated. They’ll face the winners of the first Eliminator between Quetta and Peshawar.
Samit Patel scores the match-winning four for Islamabad United!
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/k7QtEM3zOf#IUvKK #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/JVkGP1QEPQ
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 18, 2018
Resilient fifties by Colin Ingram and Joe Denly lifted Karachi to 154-4 after Eoin Morgan opted to bat first. But the unstoppable Ronchi blasted the fastest half-century in PSL history (from just 19 balls) to make a mockery of Karachi bowling.
It appears that the lady luck was standing with the Kiwi opener as he was thrice dropped by the Kings’ players while he was on 56, 57 and 63.
Earlier in the first inning, Karachi Kings set 155 runs target for Islamabad United to win the qualifier in the third edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium tonight.
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Batting fireworks by Colin Ingram and Joe Denly lifted Karachi Kings to 154-4 in today’s qualifier against Islamabad United.
The 82 run stand between Denly & Ingram help @KarachiKingsARY to put up a competitive total on the score board.@IsbUnited need 155 runs to win a spot in the final of #HBLPSL 2018#IUvKK #DilSeJaanLagaDe pic.twitter.com/vVcPGJAb20
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 18, 2018
It was anything but an ideal start for Karachi; Mohammad Sami and Amad Butt gave Islamabad United early breakthroughs after Karachi came in to bat first at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Sami removed Khurram Manzoor (6) with a blinder of a catch off his own delivery, and Babar Azam (0) off the last ball of the same over, leaving Karachi at 17-2 after 4 overs.
OUT! 3.4 Mohammad Sami to Khurram Manzoor
Watch ball by ball highlights at https://t.co/k7QtEM3zOf#IUvKK #HBLPSL #PSL2018 @_cricingif pic.twitter.com/SZCWYH93RT— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 18, 2018
Youngster Amad Butt dismissed skipper Eoin Morgan for 21 off his very first ball, as Karachi stumbled to 46-3.
The winner of tonight’s match will secure a place in the final of the tournament, to be held in Karachi on March 25. The losing team will play the winner of Peshawar Zalmi vs Quetta Gladiators eliminator game in Lahore, in one more shot at a berth in the final.
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