Istafa Ali
Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans by two wickets in the 24th match of the eighth Pakistan Super League (PSL 8) at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.
United won the toss and sent the Sultans to bat, who set a mammoth 206-run total for United to pursue.
United were nowhere near the objective in the final five overs when Faheem Ashraf pulled off an incredible chase. Faheem led his side to victory in a last-over thriller.
The nerves. THE MIGHT of @iFaheemAshraf.
We stand in awe. #HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray l #IUvMS pic.twitter.com/M2aulurMP8— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 7, 2023
Faheem hit two boundaries and six in Mohammad Ilyas’ last over to reach the goal. The left-handed batter’s 39-run partnership with captain Shadab set the tone for his squad.
He and Mohammad Wasim Jr. scored 28 off 12 balls to get United back in the chase. His match-winning 51 off 26 balls included five boundaries and two maximums.
Short and sweet! Waz jr has to go. #HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray l #IUvMS pic.twitter.com/5BU1Dcj7sQ
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 7, 2023
Shadab (44) and Colin Munro (40) struck 59 off 30 balls in the middle overs against Sultans’ bowlers. The two hitters contributed to United’s record-setting run-chase in PSL history.
For the Sultans, Anwar Ali grabbed three wickets, Ihsanullah and Usama Mir two apiece.
Tim David got fifty off 20 balls in the first innings to assist Sultans reach a huge total.
David, who made his T20I debut for Australia last year, struck a strong knock to speed Sultans’ total in presence of well-set Shan Masood.
United’s naïve bowlers enraged the right-handed hitter. He entered PSL with the third-fastest fifty off 20 balls.
Back from where he left off! @timdavid8 ©️ SIX 🔥#HBLPSL8 | #SabSitarayHumaray l #IUvMS pic.twitter.com/0gr0D6HoIJ
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) March 7, 2023
Sultans scored 205-5 in 20 overs with his 60 off 27 balls, including four boundaries and five maximums. David’s entrance helped Shan too, as the left-hander raced to 75 off 50 in the team’s massive total.
When David challenged the bowlers from one end, Shan set the tone wonderfully on a batting-friendly track. He hit 12 boundaries to keep the Sultans in the game despite losing two early wickets following the powerplay.
Shan and captain Mohammad Rizwan started the 2021 PSL champs well. Powerplay runs totaled 57. During the powerplay in the seventh over, United captain Shadab caught Rizwan, a critical breakthrough.
Shadab’s excellent bowling eliminated Rizwan after he struck 33 off 18 balls. Azam Khan caught his edge beyond the stumps. Shan scored another PSL fifty despite Shadab’s two powerplay strikes.
David helped Shan hit 80 off 38 balls in the third-wicket partnership. The Sultans will now defend the total to reach the playoffs.
Shadab and Wasim claimed two wickets apiece for United, while Faheem took one.
Islamabad United won the toss and bowled first against Multan Sultans in the 24th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 8 at Rawalpindi on Tuesday.
