It's a slow pitch, the ball is not coming on to the bat nicely, the wicket is tired since so many matches are being played on this ground, 133 looks a good total on this surface - these were the talks and opinions after the first half of Match No 18 of Pakistan Super League (PSL).
However, the New Zealand batsman and Islamabad United opener Colin Munro had other ideas. Munro, along with fellow left-hander Usman Khawaja started the innings in a beast mode and ended in the same way. Islamabad were 19/0 after the first over chasing a paltry total of 133.
Quetta Gladiators kept pitching it in his arc and he kept smashing. Islamabad raced to 97/0 in just six overs. It was the fourth highest score in the powerplay in the four top franchise leagues in the world. Munro notched up his half-century but it didn't mean he stopped or he took a breather. He just kept going and Khawaja played his part at the other end, with an innings of 41 runs off just 27 balls.
Islamabad's 97 runs in the powerplay is the fourth-highest score among the top franchise leagues (CPL, IPL, BBL, PSL) pic.twitter.com/4BB6niGQEi
— Sreshth Shah (@sreshthx) June 11, 2021
Munro finished the chase within 10 overs making it the biggest win in the PSL in terms of balls remaining (60) as he remained unbeaten on 90 off just 36 balls smashing 12 fours and five sixes as Islamabad won by 10 wickets.
The win helped Islamabad United move up to second place in the points table, just behind Lahore Qalandars.
The fans were not going to control their emotions as they were bamboozled by one of the best knocks they have seen in the PSL for a while.
Here are some of the reactions:
Nobody told Munro it was a difficult pitch #QGvIU
— Bazid Khan (@bazidkhan81) June 11, 2021
Gladiators to Munro:#PSL6 #IUvsQG pic.twitter.com/mGrf2dOsZn
— AHMED (@ahmedkitweets) June 11, 2021
*QG batsman struggling to score on this Pitch*
Meanwhile Munro & Khawaja Smashing scoring for fun : pic.twitter.com/DjRqwEojnC
— Khadija (@Khadija_hon) June 11, 2021
Colin Munro has destroyed Quetta Gladiators all within the powerplay.. Such clean and brutal power hitting that too where batsmen kept on struggling.. BRUTALLY AWESOME! pic.twitter.com/RbdCVDMOM9
— Sawera Pasha (@sawerapasha) June 11, 2021
Quetta while batting: Pitch low scoring match wali ha!
Le Munro: pic.twitter.com/4RgeyAl2JP
— Abdul Rehman (@thoraparhlein) June 11, 2021
Others : Pitch is difficult for Batting
Le Munro : pic.twitter.com/mnd5JTWzJe
— Khadija (@Khadija_hon) June 11, 2021
DOMINATION level 10000000! What a performance this by IU. One of the most dominating and destructive performance of PSL. From Hassan, Waseem & co. bowling all out to Munro's sensational madness! Unbelievable!!!!!#QGvIU #HBLPSL6 #RangJeetKaLaalHai pic.twitter.com/eGLT7CsKUA
— Sʏᴇᴅ Sʜᴀʀɪϙ Hᴜssᴀɪɴ (@shariqgee) June 11, 2021
Munro to Quetta Gladiators Tonight pic.twitter.com/myzLDVAacA
— PSL Memes (@PSLMemesWalay) June 11, 2021