PSL 2020: Karachi Kings down two-time champion Islamabad United by four wickets to seal spot in semis

Karachi: Karachi Kings qualified for the semi-finals and eliminated two-time champion Islamabad United from the Pakistan Super League after a four-wicket win on Saturday. Islamabad, playing without its four departed overseas players, was restricted to 136-6 after being sent in to bat at the empty Karachi National Stadium, as the game was played behind close doors amid coronavirus fears. [caption id=“attachment_8152711” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Karachi Kings players Umaid Asif, center, and Chris Jordan, second left, shake hand with Islamabad United players. AP[/caption] Karachi won with 137-6 in 19.2 overs. Sharjeel Khan, with 37 from 14 balls, provided Karachi a whirlwind start of 60 runs in the first five overs. But the dismissals of Sharjeel by fast bowler Akif Javed, and Babar Azam, bowled on 19 by paceman Mohammad Musa, helped Islamabad to take the game deep. Legspinner Shadab Khan grabbed 2-28 to leave Karachi needing 18 off the last two overs. No. 8 batsman Umaid Asif (13 not out) hit a six off Shadab in the penultimate over, and hit the winning boundary against left-arm seamer Rumman Raees. Hussain Talat top-scored for Islamabad with 37 and Phil Salt, playing his first PSL game this season, made 25. Offspinner Iftikhar Ahmed bowled well on a slow pitch and took 1-12 off his three overs as Islamabad struggled to accelerate in the latter half of its innings. Islamabad, PSL winner in 2016 and 2018, won only three of its 10 league matches and missed the top four places for the first time. Karachi plays for second on Sunday against Quetta Gladiators in the last league match.