Martin Guptill’s circumspect 32-ball 50 and Imad Wasim’s five-for helped Islamabad United bag the title for the third time by outfoxing Multan Sultans in the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League in Karachi on Monday.
ISLAMABAD UNITED'S INNINGS
Chasing a target of 160 runs, the United were a bit shaky, but it was Hunain Shah who clubbed a boundary off Mohammad Ali in the final delivery to ensure the Shadab Khan-inspired team win the title for the third time after 2016 and 2018 in the tournament’s history. The United had won by two wickets against the Sultans.
This was the third consecutive time that the Sultans had to face defeat in the finals of the PSL.
Guptill played beautifully for his fifty before he was run out by the collective efforts of Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan. Guptill smacked four boundaries and three towering sixes during his knock.
Azam Khan played a fine knock, plundering 30 off 22 deliveries, studding with four boundaries and one six.
Colin Munro and Naseem Shah scored 17 each.
Other batters, Agha Salman (10), Haider Ali (5), Shadab Khan (4), and Faheem Ashraf (1) could not show resistance with the bat.
Imad Wasim (19) and Hunain Shah (4) remained unconquered to ensure the United outfoxed the Sultans in the final encounter of the tournament.
For the Sultans, Iftikhar Ahmed (2-19) and Khushdil Shah (2-21) picked up two wickets apiece.
David Willey (1-15), Mohammad Ali (1-32) and Usama Mir (1-36) took a scalp each.
Chris Jordan (0-28) and Abbas Afridi (0-9) remained wicketless.
MULTAN SULTANS' INNINGS
Iftikhar Ahmed’s late heroics steered Multan Sultans to 159-9 against the United.
After put in to bat, the Sultans faced an early hiccup, when they lost Yasir Khan (6).
Usman Khan was once again brilliant with the willow and racked up a 40-ball 57, studding with seven boundaries and one six.
It was Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten onslaught that added impetus to the Sultans’ total in the final of the domestic marquee tournament.
Iftikhar had studded three boundaries and three sixes.
Mohammad Rizwan scored run-a-ball 26, lacing with three boundaries.
Other batters, David Willey (6), Johnson Charles (4), Khushdil Shah (11), Usama Mir (6), Chris Jordan (0), Abbas Afridi (1), failed to show any significant resistance with the bat.
For United, Imad Wasim (5-23) was absolutely brilliant with the bowl and bagged a five-wicket haul.
Shadab Khan (3-32) bagged three wickets.
Naseem Shah (0-25), Hunain Shah (0-17), Faheem Ashraf (0-33), Tymal Mills (0-24) remained wicketless.
TOSS
The Sultans had elected to bat first against the United in the final of the ninth edition of the domestic premium tournament.
Islamabad United: Colin Munro, Martin Guptill, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan (c), Azam Khan (wk), Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Hunain Shah, Obed McCoy
Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c & wk), Yasir Khan, Usman Khan, Johnson Charles, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Chris Jordan, David Willey, Usama Mir, Mohammad Ali, Abbas Afridi
