Karachi Kings set Islamabad United a decent 169-run target in their Pakistan Super League (PSL) match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Islamabad United had won the toss and elected to bowl first. But things did not really go United's way as the Kings top order hit boundaries left, right and centre.
Opener Babar Azam top scored for Kings with 68 runs off 50 balls—40 off those coming off 10 boundaries. One-down LS Livingstone added a blistering knock of 56 off 31, with five fours and four sixes.
Azam and Livingstone put together 78 runs for the second wicket partnership.
Rumman Raees took three wickets for 27 runs in his four overs, while Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan and Amad Butt took one wicket each for United.
For Kings, the PSL campaign had been in a downward spiral with three back-to-back defeats before they came from behind to beat the so-far unbeaten Quetta Gladiators in a dramatic encounter on Sunday.
With the previous win fresh in their minds, the Imad Wasim-led team is looking to register their third win in the ongoing season against Islamabad United tonight.
Kings are currently at the bottom of the points table with two wins and three losses. Defending champions Islamabad United are placed third with three wins and three losses.
Squads
Karachi Kings
Imad Wasim (c), Colin Munro, Babar Azam, Mohammad Amir, Colin Ingram, Usman Shinwari, Mohammad Rizwan, Ravi Bopara, Sikandar Raza, Awais Zia, Usama Mir, Aaron Summers, Sohail Khan, Iftekhar Ahmed, Ali Imran, Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Yamin, Ben Dunk, Liam Livingstone, Jahid Ali, Umer Khan
Islamabad United
Mohammad Sami (c), Luke Ronchi, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Ian Bell, Rumman Raees, Samit Patel, Phil Salt, Hussain Talat, Waqas Masood, Sahibzada Farhan, Zafar Gohar, Cameron Delport, Nasir Nawaz, Mohammad Musa, Wayne Parnell, Zahir Khan, Ammad Butt, Rizwan Hussain
