KARACHI: Four wickets from Asif Mehmood and an unbeaten half-century from skipper Marnus Labuschagne led Hyderabad Kingsmen to a comprehensive 6-wicket win over Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11th 21st match.
The win marked the Kingsmen’s second win in a row as they defeated 2020 champions Karachi Kings in their previous assignment after losing four consecutive games.
Chasing a modest target of 154 runs, the tournament openers easily smashed the winning runs with 4 wickets and 11 balls to spare.
Leading them was captain Labuschagne, who oversaw their successful run chase with an unbeaten 61 off 53 balls with 6 fours.
The skipper received ample support from fellow top-order batsmen Mas Sadaq and Saim Ayub, who scored brisk 30 and 35 runs respectively, before sharing a match-winning partnership with compatriot Glenn Maxwell, who scored an unbeaten 21 off nine balls.
Stand-in captain Chris Green and Faheem Ashraf took 2 wickets each for United.
Kingsmen skipper Marnus Labuschagne’s decision to bat first paid dividends as the three-time champions could amass 153/9 in their 20 overs.
United got off to a good start to their innings as their opening pair Samir Minhas and Devon Conway added 56 runs.
Minhas scored 22 off 13 balls with 3 fours and a six.
Conway then put on 31 with Mohammed Faiq for the second wicket, before both were run out in the 10th over.
The left-handed opener top-scored for United with a 31-ball 45 with 7 fours.
United lost two more wickets in quick succession as Haider Ali and all-rounder Faheem Ashraf dropped back after scoring a six and five runs respectively.
Meanwhile, No.4 batsman Mark Chapman, who was firmly holding one end during the collapse in the middle stages, was dismissed by Asif Mehmood on the second delivery of the last over and was out again for 42 off 30 balls with 3 fours and 2 sixes.
Mehmood struck three more times in the final over, dismissing experienced all-rounder Imad Wasim (two), Mehran Mumtaz (nil) and Chris Green (six) to deny United any valuable runs at the back.
The debutant led the charge for the Kingsmen bowling with four wickets for just 18 runs from his four overs, with Ali bagging two wickets while Glenn Maxwell picked up a wicket.