PSL: Munro and Khawaja destroy Quetta

Islamabad United chased down the meagre 134-run target against Sarfaraz Ahmed-led Quetta Gladiators without losing any wicket.

Shabad Khan’s troops were relentless in the contest that wasn’t expected to be such a one-sided one.

United chased down the target within 10 overs as if they mistook the clash for a T10 League game.

The Munro-Khawaja onslaught

Colin Munro is known to be a T20 expert but even he has never been able to blast off in such a way that he did tonight at the Dubai track.

The New Zealand star went berserk from the beginning.

His fiery half-century propelled the United to the 100-run mark in only the seventh over, something you don’t often get to see even in T20 cricket.

An unbeaten 90 off only 36 balls was too hot to handle for Quetta.

Munro struck 12 fours and six huge sixes to take the game away from the Gladiators within the powerplay.

All Usman Khawaja had to do from the other end was tap the ball for singles.

Nevertheless, the Australian star also got 40 runs for himself to get going in his maiden PSL stint.

Muhammad Wasim – one for the future

The PSL is not an unknown territory for local bowlers to make their mark.

After Shahnawaz Dhani, Muhammad Wasim seems to be the one who can make it big on the international stage for Pakistan.

Wasim has been consistent with his line, doesn’t allow the batsman to smack him for consecutive boundaries and looks like the finished article.

His pacey deliveries are not everyone’s piece of cake, just ask Quetta’s Faf du Plessis maybe.

The former South African captain was sent back to the hut by Wasim for just 5 who sent his stumps flying away.

Wasim ended his quota with two wickets and conceding just 22 runs.

Another bowling prodigy to keep an eye on is Wasim’s United colleague Akif Javed.

The 20-year-old Kohat-born lad was highly impressive tonight and picked a wicket and gave away 18 runs in 4 overs.

Quetta still clueless

From Faf du Plessis to Azam Khan, none of the Quetta batsmen seemed to have settled in the first innings.

One can argue that the United pace cartel was on fire, but the Gladiators never looked like fighting back.

Skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed, who has been Quetta’s top performer with the bat this season, could not get going either.

Newcomer Jake Weatherald looked for his gritty 43 off 35, but Akif Javed was quick to get the better of him.

Andre Russell looked in good shape after striking two clean sixes off right-arm pacer Musa Khan, but a concussion owing to a nasty Musa bouncer forced him to go out.

This has been Quetta’s misery all season long. They have not learnt from their mistakes and let the opposition take the game away from them early in the innings.

Nonetheless, United have now dethroned Karachi Kings from the second spot, notching another two points to propel the total tally to eight.

After six games played, Shadab Khan’s unit is just two points less of the first-placed Lahore Qalandars.

Islamabad United 137 for no loss (Munro 90*, Khawaja 41*) beat Quetta Gladiators 133 all out (Weatherald 43, Wasim 2-12) by ten wickets.