Multan Sultans: 159/9 (20) | Usman 57(40), Iftikhar 32*(20) | Imad 5/23, Shadab 3/32
Islamabad United: 163/8 (20) | Guptill 50(32), Azam 30(22) | Iftikhar 2/19, Khushdil 2/21
Islamabad United edged past Multan Sultans in the nail-biting final to become the first team to lift the trophy three times in HBLPSL history. Sultans' dreams once again shattered in a final-ball heartbreaker.
Chasing the target of 160, Islamabad
started brightly with a 26-run opening partnership in 3.1 overs. However, Khushdil
Shah removed Colin Munro, followed by the dismissal of Agha Salman by him. Islamabad
United found themselves under extreme pressure when Iftikhar Ahmed dismissed captain
Shadab Khan in the ninth over, leaving United at 55/3.
A solid 47-run partnership between Martin
Guptill and Azam Khan threatened to take the game away from Multan. But the run
out of Guptill for a well-made 50 revived Multan hopes. With 41 required off 27
balls, Azam Khan was caught behind against Usama Mir, when Mohammad Rizwan took
a successful review.
With 31 requiring off last three over, Iftikhar
Ahmed dismissed Faheem Ashraf, but Imad Wasim and Naseem Shah kept United in
the hunt. Naseem Shah’s significant six to Iftikhar narrowed the equation,
needing 19 off 12 balls. Imad Wasim’s back-to-back boundaries in the
penultimate over to Jordan, set the tone for Islamabad United.
Mohammad Ali was given the task of
defending 8 runs in the last over. Naseem Shah’s crucial four, bisecting square-leg
and mid-wicket fielder, sent United just 3 runs away to become champions. Nonetheless, the drama continued with Naseem
Shah dismissed on the penultimate delivery with scores level.
With one run required, young Hunain Shah
held his nerve and guided the ball towards boundary off the final ball, sparking
jubilation in the United camp.
For Multan, Khushdil and Iftikhar picked up
two wickets each, while David Willey, Ali and Usama Mir took one scalp each.
Earlier, Multan Sultans got off to a shaky
start as Naseem overstepped, gifting a reprieve to Mohammad Rizwan. However,
Imad Wasim quickly rectified that by dismissing Yasir Khan and David Willey in
his first over. A 53-run stand between Rizwan and Usman Khan provided stability,
but wickets fell at regular intervals thereafter. Usman, who top-scored with a
well-compiled 57, was the only batter to show resistance. Imad wreaked havoc in
the middle overs, claiming a historic five-wicket haul, including wickets of
Johnson Charles, Khushdil Shah and Chris Jordan. Imad became only player to take
a fifer in the final of a Pakistan Super League history.
A late cameo by Iftikhar Ahmed (32* off 20
balls), including three sixes and equal number of boundaries, helped Multan
posting a fighting total of 159/9.
Player of the Match: Imad Wasim
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