Hyderabad Kingsmen snap Islamabad United's winning streak

Winless in their first four games, Hyderabad Kingsmen brought up their second win in as many games, beating Islamabad United by six wickets on Sunday (April 12).

Captain Marnus Labuschagne was the Player of the Match for his unbeaten 61 (53), spearheading their chase of 154. Glenn Maxwell, playing his second PSL game, hit two sixes in a brisk cameo that took them home.

Kingsmen's required run-rate never looked threatening, thanks to their bowling group that restricted United to 153/9. Placed at 105/3 in the 14th over, they suffered a middle-order collapse and managed to cross 150 largely due to Mark Chapman's 42. The platform was earlier laid by his New Zealand teammate Devon Conway, who hit a 31-ball 45 opening the batting, an innings filled with his trademark cuts and drives.

His run-out came two balls after Mohammad Faiq's: that sequence stifled their momentum, with just 23 runs scored between overs 10-15.

Asif Mehmood finished with 4-18, taking all four wickets in the last over, as the United middle and lower order tried to find quick runs.

Maaz Sadaqat started the chase by taking 20 runs off Imad Wasim's opening over. Labuschagne got his first runs with a cheeky scoop between the keeper and short third man. The duo brought up the 50 inside five overs, but right after that, Sadaqat departed to Chris Green, the first spinner brought into the attack.

Labuschagne continued to build the innings alongside Saim Ayub, taking little risk and relying more on the timing of his drives and flicks. The Kingsmen had a slight wobble when they lost three wickets for five runs, but Labuschagne kept his cool, reaching his fifty with a scoop beyond the keeper's reach. Maxwell's two sixes hastened the chase, wrapping it up with 11 balls to spare.

The Kingsmen are now sixth on the points table, while United are third with seven points.

Brief scores: Islamabad United 153/9 in 20 overs (Devon Conway 45, Mark Chapman 42, Asif Mehmood 4-18, Mohammad Ali 2-26) lost to Hyderabad Kingsmen 157/4 in 18.1 overs (Marnus Labuschagne 61*, Saim Ayub 35, Chris Green 2-19, Faheem Ashraf 2-33) by six wickets.