Ronchi's 37-ball 71 helps Islamabad to an easy win over Karachi

Ronchi blasted a 37-ball 71 before finally getting out to a brilliant caught bowled off Mohammad Irfan. The New Zealand stumper’s blistering innings helped Islamabad chase down the 154-run target in 17.2 overs.

Luke Ronchi proved his worth as a T20 player by slamming a 23-ball half-century on a slow track to lead Islambad United to a thumping eight-wicket win over Karachi Kings in a Pakistan Super League match in Sharjah.

Ronchi blasted a 37-ball 71 before finally getting out to a brilliant caught bowled off Mohammad Irfan. The New Zealand stumper’s blistering innings helped Islamabad chase down the 154-run target in 17.2 overs.

Scoring at a strike rate of 191.89, Ronchi hit three sixes and ten fours in his innings that was dominated by well-timed flicks through the square-leg and fine-leg region. Ronchi, who had been out of form in the third edition of PSL, took the slow pitch out of equation with his strokeplay.

After his dismissal, Duminy (43) and Asif Ali (16) made sure there was no problem in achieving the target.

Earlier, twin half-centuries by Khurram Manzoor (51) and Babar Azam (55) ensured Karachi a total in excess of 150 but it was not enough in front of a dominating Islamabad batting-line up.