Batbricks7

Colin Munro was in the zone as he tore into the Karachi Kings bowling attack.

After three losses on the trot, Islamabad United returned to winning ways with a seven-wicket victory over Karachi Kings at the National Stadium in Karachi on Wednesday (February 28). Chasing 166 for victory, United reached the target in 18.3 overs, with Colin Munro (82 off 47) and Alex Hales (47 off 35) setting the platform for the win with a 108-run opening stand that came off only 69 balls.

United were off the blocks quickly in the chase with Hales and Munro hitting regular boundaries. They hit nine fours between them in the powerplay to take United to 58/0, with both moving into the 30s. Munro then went into overdrive, hitting two fours off Aamir Khan and three successive sixes off Tabraiz Shamsi to race to a 25-ball fifty. The partnership reached 108 in the 12th over before it came to an end when Hasan Ali accounted for Hales. Munro continued to belt the Kings attack, hitting his fourth six with a flick over deep backward square leg and reverse-sweeping Mohammad Nawaz for his 8th four.

Munro's innings, however, ended in the 15th over when he was trapped in front by Nawaz, and Imad Wasim fell soon after as he hit a short ball from Shamsi straight to cover. Kings cut out boundaries for three overs but the damage done by the opening stand was much too severe to recover from. Agha Salman finished it off in the 19th over with two sixes off Hasan Ali to help his side to a comfortable victory.

Earlier, asked to bat first, Kings made a slow start as Shan Masood took his time to get going and also lost Tim Seifert early as he was out stumped off Imad shortly after striking a six. Leus du Plooy came out with a positive intent, scoring a few boundaries to take Kings to 46/1 at the end of the powerplay. But his promising innings was cut short when he was bowled by Salman for a 15-ball 24. Masood couldn't really break free and he was eventually bowled by Hunain Shah for 27 off 30. With Shoaib Malik and Nawaz falling cheaply, Kings were reduced to 89/5 in the 14th over.

United sneaked in a couple of tight overs to keep Kings on a leash until Kieron Pollard broke loose, striking two fours off Rumman Raees in the 17th. Raees also proved expensive in the 19th as he gave away 16 runs, including three fours by Irfan Khan. Pollard struck a six and a four in the final over off Hunain, which yielded 20 runs, as he finished unbeaten on 48 off 28 to help Kings past the 160 mark.