These two sides have split six PSL titles between them, but for the mismatch that followed, Islamabad United might as well have won all of them. In the sides’ first game in Karachi, Lahore Qalandars were crushed by a ruthless United performance, with Shadab Khan’s side brushing them aside by nine wickets with 9.4 overs to spare, the heaviest defeat of the tournament. Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Richard Gleeson and Shadab were all among the wickets as the Qalandars were skittled out for 100, a total that a 93-run stand between Devon Conway and Mohammad Faiq made light work of.

United’s dominance began in the first over, when Mohammad Naeem scythed Wasim to the covers and holed out for a golden duck. Shadab’s sensational diving drab at mid-off got rid of Abdullah Shafique shortly after, and that initiated a procession of Qalandars wickets as United’s bowlers took it in turns helping themselves. A 31-run fifth wicket stand between Asif Ali and Sikandar Raza was the only time Qalandars appeared to be mustering any resistance, only for it all to come crumbling down.

When Asif tamely holed out off Shadab, Qalandars’ resistance collapsed in on itself. The final six wickets fell for 28 runs, leaving United a mere 101 to help themselves to a pair of the easiest points they will pick up.

Shaheen Shah Afridi did his thing and picked up the early wicket of Sameer Minhas, but it was a brief, false flicker of hope. Conway understood precisely the task at hand, initially knocking the ball around. But soon, the pressure lifted and both Faiq and him began to race through what little was left of the target. It all came in a torrent at the end with Conway smashing Sikandar Raza for 22 in the tenth over, bringing up his half-century in the process. Two balls later, the game was done.