Twitter Reactions: Islamabad United’s Colin Munro blazes away to demolish hapless Quetta Gladiators
The United also became the first team in PSL history to complete a run-chase with 10 overs left.
Quetta Gladiators had very little clue about proceedings when Islamabad United were chasing 134 on Friday night at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Colin Munro’s 36-ball 90 made sure that the United win by 10 wickets with as many as 10 overs to spare. With the win, the United are placed at three in the PSL 2021 table while Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Gladiators kept languishing at the bottom.
Gladiators huff and puff
After being put in to bat first, the Gladiators went off to a blazing start as Usman Khan smashed Hasan Ali for three fours on the trot to fetch 15 runs in the first over. But from there on, things went downhill for them. In the third over, Mohammad Wasim Jr rattled Faf du Plessis’ woodwork. Despite scoring heavily in the first over, the Gladiators could manage 36 runs in the mandatory powerplay.
Jake Weatherald and Azam Khan tried to restore sanity with a 39-run stand before Akif Javed separated them. Weatherald scored 43 with three fours and two sixes and lost his stumps while trying to play a cheeky shot through fine leg. Andre Russell hit two sixes before Muhammad Musa dismissed him. Later, Azam Khan’s 23-ball 26 made sure that the Gladiators posted 133 in 20 overs.
Munro guides Islamabad United to victory
In the very first over of the run-chase, Munro hit Naseem Shah for four fours, fetching the United 19 runs. Shah was roped in as a like-for-like replacement of Russell, who was concussed after being hit flush on the helmet by a bouncer from Musa. There was no looking back for Shadab Khan and Co ever since then. In the powerplay, the United hammered their way to 97 at a run rate of 16.16.
The left-handed Munro raced his way to a 20-ball 50 even as the Islamabad-born Usman Khawaja lent him support. Khawaja was the more sedate of the two as he notched 40 off 27 with six fours and a six. Munro’s knock, on the other hand, was laced with 12 fours and as many as five sixes. The United also became the first team in PSL history to complete a run-chase with 10 overs left.
Here’s how the netizens reacted to Islamabad United’s dominance:
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