Islamabad United 151 for five (Shadab 34, Salman 33, Hamza 3-41) beat Karachi Kings 150 for 7 (Pollard 39, Mills 3-34, Ashraf 2-16)
United jumped to No. 2 with 9 factors and superior net-run fee over Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi, who even have 9 factors within the push for the playoffs.
With six factors, Kings must win their remaining two video games and hope different groups lose.
Mills, enjoying his first recreation within the Rawalpindi-leg this season, grabbed 3 for 34 whereas Ashraf received the wickets of opening batters Shan Masood (10) and Tim Seifert (26) together with his misleading bowling to limit Karachi to 150 for 7.
United chased the goal in 18.4 to notch their fourth win.
Left-arm quick bowler Mir Hamza (3-41) gave Karachi a glimmer of hope when he dismissed power-hitters Alex Hales (18) and Colin Munro (9) contained in the powerplay.
Salman feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Seifert in Blessing Muzarabani’s return spell and Azam Khan (9) supplied a regulation return catch to leg-spinner Zahid Mahmood. Hamza then deceived Shadab with sharp bounce and located the surface fringe of the bat earlier than Haider Ali (26*) and Ashraf (12*) sealed the win for United.
Earlier, Masood’s struggling first season as Kings skipper continued as he tried to flick Ashraf, and Imad Wasim took an excellent operating catch over his shoulder at quick third. Masood has scored solely 134 runs in eight innings with no half-century.
Seifert could not speed up in opposition to tempo and spin earlier than Munro took one other sensible catch as veteran Shoaib Malik (1) and Mohammad Nawaz (5) additionally received dismissed whereas going for giant photographs.
Prime-scorer Kieron Pollard (39) and James Vince (29) shared a 58-run stand earlier than Mills broke by way of as he had Vince caught behind off a supply that seamed away from the Englishman.
Pollard, who hit three sixes and three fours, additionally gave a skier to Ashraf at deep third within the 18th over as United saved selecting wickets to limit Kings within the dying overs.
