ISLAMABAD: Explosive Islamabad United batter Colin Munro on Wednesday smashed an 82-run knock from 47 balls to hand his team a thumping seven-wicket victory over the Karachi Kings at their home ground in the southern port city.
The two sides locked horns for the 15th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) contest in Karachi. The Kings, led by skipper Shan Masood, were unable to impress in the first match of this year’s PSL hosted in Karachi. The Kings were able to score 165/5 from their 20 overs after being sent in to bat by United.
Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim, a former Karachi Kings cricketer, Salman Ali Agha, Naseem Shah and Hunain Shah took a single wicket each to restrict the Kings to a modest total before Islamabad’s openers wreaked havoc on Karachi.
“Back-to-back sixes by Salman Agha and WE HAVE WON!” United wrote on social media platform X, announcing the franchise’s victory.
Munro and his opening partner Alex Hales smashed a 108-run partnership, leaving little doubt Islamabad would clinch the match. Hales was dismissed by Hasan Ali after scoring 47 runs from 35 balls, hitting four boundaries. Wasim fell to left-arm Karachi spinner Tabraiz Shamsi on the second ball, heading to the pavilion without scoring a single run.
Munro was the third Islamabad wicket to fall when he was trapped leg-before-wicket by Mohammad Nawaz. His 82-run knock included eight fours and four sixes.
United, who were placed at number five on the PSL points table, have gone up to the fourth spot ahead of the Kings with four points from five matches. Skipper Shadab Khan’s side will next take on the Quetta Gladiators on Saturday as it eyes climbing the PSL points table further.
The Kings will now face a strong Gladiators squad, placed on number two at the PSL points table, on Thursday. Placed now on number five at the PSL points table, they have four points from two matches with a run rate of -0.527.
The top four teams of the tournament will qualify for the playoffs.
Fiery Munro ensures Islamabad hammer Karachi by seven wickets in one-sided PSL contest
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Fiery Munro ensures Islamabad hammer Karachi by seven wickets in one-sided PSL contest
- Islamabad United’s Colin Munro smashes 82 runs from 47 balls to win Player of the Match award
- His opening partner Alex Hales scored 47 runs from 35 balls before Salman Ali Agha guided the team home
Pakistan praises Qatar’s ‘positive role’ on National Day, seeks deeper trade and investment ties
- Zardari says relations with Qatar are rooted in shared values, mutual respect and people-to-people contacts
- He says Pakistan sees energy, agriculture and technology as priority areas for expanding bilateral cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday praised Qatar’s “positive role” at the regional and international level and called for enhanced trade and investment cooperation as the Gulf state marked its National Day, according to a statement from the presidency.
Pakistan and Qatar maintain close diplomatic, economic and security ties, underpinned by energy cooperation, labor links and growing defense engagement. Qatar hosts a large Pakistani expatriate workforce, employed mainly in construction, services, transport and security, making remittances a key pillar of the relationship.
Security ties have also expanded in recent years, with Pakistan providing military training and advisory support to Qatari forces. The two countries cooperated on security planning and personnel deployment for the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted by Doha.
Qatar has also played a diplomatic role in the region, most recently mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan following fierce border clashes earlier this year in which dozens of people were killed on both sides.
“Qatar’s positive role at the regional and international level is commendable,” President Asif Ali Zardari said in a message issued on the occasion of the Arab country’s National Day.
“Pakistan is keen to further expand cooperation with Qatar in trade and investment,” he added.
In his message, Zardari extended congratulations to Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and conveyed best wishes to the Qatari people, describing relations between the two countries as close, enduring and rooted in shared values and mutual respect.
He said Qatar had achieved significant development and progress under the Amir’s leadership and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
Zardari said Pakistan sought to deepen partnerships with Qatar in sectors including energy, agriculture and technology, while highlighting manpower cooperation and people-to-people contacts as the foundation of the relationship.
The president also expressed Islamabad’s resolve to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two countries, the statement said.
