RAWALPINDI: Every fan was on the edge of their seat till the very last ball of the match, so it was pure, intense excitement.
Sunday’s high-scoring HBL Pakistan Super League match saw a rowdy packed house at the Pindi Cricket Stadium witness the height of excitement as Imad Wasim hammered the boundaries on the penultimate ball to give Islamabad United a well-earned three-wicket victory over Multan Sultans. What’s more, the thrilling victory advanced United into the playoffs, where table-toppers Sultans had already advanced.
The massive effort put in by Shadab Khan’s United to surpass 229 was the biggest pursuit of the current season and the third most successful in PSL history. At the same location, during PSL 8, the Sultans broke the league record (243) against Peshawar Zalmi. Meanwhile, Quetta Gladiators defeated Zalmi in Rawalpindi, surpassing 241, the second-highest score ever in the league.
With 13 needed from the last over bowled by Abbas Afridi, United lost the wicket of Faheem Ashraf (23 off 14 balls), who was trying to play a huge shot when he was caught by David Willey at long-on. Ashraf had hit a boundary through the covers.
With eight needed off three balls, Naseem Shah took a crucial single to give left-hander Imad the upper hand. On the last ball, Imad hoisted Abbas for a straight six. With the scores even, the tension reached a crescendo. Imad hit the game-winning shot, finishing off a mid-off fielder with a four after cracking a full-toss on middle stump. The game was decided by the batter’s 13-ball 30-run innings, which included four fours and a six.
Shadab and first-ball batsman Colin Munro had earlier laid the groundwork for the United with a third-wicket partnership of 141 runs off 64 balls, which is the third-highest partnership in PSL 9. After losing their first two wickets for just four runs in the second over, the United team managed to reach 65-2 in the powerplay with 19 runs in the fourth over of the innings.
On the first delivery of the opening over, pacer Willey sent opener Alex Hales back for a golden duck as the batsman nicked a wide ball beyond the off-stump to wicketkeeper Usman Khan. Following through with a brilliant one-handed catch, Mohammad Ali bowled number three, Agha Salman (two), after he was caught.
With the help of nine fours and five sixes, southpaw Munro, who was in his usual destructive mood, sailed to a brilliant 84 off just 40 balls and was duly awarded player-of-the-match. Shadab went from 31 to 54 by hitting six fours and a few maximums.
Abbas crushed the United at 145-2 after taking two early wickets in the 13th over. Initially, Willey caught Shadab at long off, and then Azam Khan (naught) was destroyed by a beautifully timed delivery that shook the middle stump.
The biggest blow to the United came in the 14th over, delivered by Chris Jordan, when Usman caught Munro trying to nudge the ball outside off. After the final six overs, they still needed 72 runs.
Before Ali bowled him, Haider Ali (19 off 13, four fours) made a valuable cameo. Imad’s outstanding pressure-management till the very end enabled the squad cross the finish line. Faheem and Imad added a critical 40-run partnership to keep the United in the hunt.
Ali claimed two wickets for 44, while Abbas claimed three for 40. However, Usama Mir, a leg-spinner, proved to be very costly, giving up 68 runs.
Prior to this, the Sultans, led by Muhammad Rizwan, amassed a huge total after being brought in to bat, thanks to young Usman’s incredible century and not out.
With 15 fours and three sixes in a furious 50-ball over, the right-hander reached his second hundred of the current PSL.
Yasir Khan and Rizwan, the openers, put up a 44-run partnership that was ended by Hunain Shah, who dismissed Yasir (33 off 16) in the fifth over with a gorgeous ball that held its line and struck the off-stump. Yasir broke two sixes and four boundaries.
The Sultans concluded the powerplay at 58-2, but not before dangerman Usman joined Rizwan (20 from 17 balls). The batsman attempted to play a quick ball on the middle-stump across the line, but medium bowler Faheem trapped him squarely in front of him.
After that, Usman took a hostile tone while he and Johnson Charles combined for 86 runs (42 off 18, three fours, and three sixes). After reaching 144-2 in the fourteenth over, Charles was dismissed for the Sultans when wicket-keeper Azam caught him trying an upper cut well outside off-stump off Faheem.
Meanwhile, Usman, 28, continued to hammer shots with abandon all around the court. Shadab hit the opponent for two consecutive fours and a six over midwicket in the twelfth over. Usman wisely extended his innings, scoring 38 runs off 25 balls before going on the attack, scoring 62 off the following 25.
Jordan (15 not out off seven) and Iftikhar Ahmed (13 off 12 balls) ensured the Sultans reached a massive score.
Hunain gave up 29 runs in two overs and grabbed one wicket, while Faheem concluded with 2-32 in three overs and Naseem Shah took one for 31 runs. With 52 runs apiece, Tymal Mills and Shadab proved to be very expensive.
