LAHORE, MAR 28: Mark Chapman top scored with 40 runs as Islamabad United set a fighting 172-run target against Multan Sultans in the fourth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Saturday.
Sultans captain Ashton Turner’s decision to field first proved beneficial as the three-time champions United could accumulate 171/8 in their 20 overs.
The United got off to a decent start to their innings as their opening pair of Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas put together 48 runs at a brisk pace until the former fell victim to Peter Siddle in the sixth over and walked back after scoring 26 off 23 deliveries.
Sameer (28) was then involved in a brief 21-run partnership for the second wicket with Andries Gous (11) before both perished in successive overs, resulting in United slipping to 75/3 in 9.3 overs.
Following the back-to-back dismissals, Mark Chapman took the reins of United’s batting charge and knitted brief partnerships with captain Shadab Khan (four) and Haider Ali before falling victim to Momin Qamar in the 15th over.
The New Zealand international remained the top-scorer for the three-time champions with a blistering 40 off 23 deliveries, laced with three fours and two sixes.
Qamar struck again on the final delivery of the 15th over, dismissing Haider, who mustered 13 off 12 deliveries.
The all-rounder duo of Imad Wasim (eight) and Faheem Ashraf then raised a crucial 30-run partnership for the seventh wicket, which culminated with the former’s dismissal on the first delivery of the final over.
Faheem, on the other hand, batted until the final delivery of the innings and returned after playing a handy 26-run cameo, coming off just 17 deliveries and featured four boundaries, including a six.
Qamar was the standout bowler for the Sultans, taking three wickets for just 24 runs in his three overs, followed by Mohammad Wasim Jr with two, while Mohammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas and Siddle chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Playing XIs
Islamabad United: Devon Conway, Andries Gous (wk), Sameer Minhas, Shadab Khan (c), Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, Richard Gleeson, Salman Mirza, and Salman Irshad.
Multan Sultans: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shehzad Gul, and Momin Qamar.
The two teams have come face-to-face 18 times in the PSL, and three-time champions United lead the head-to-head record with 10 victories, while Sultans have eight triumphs.
In the previous 10th edition of the marquee league, the United and Sultans locked horns twice, with the former emerging victorious on each instance.
