Multan Sultans, on 20th February, won their second game on the trot this season to move to the top of the points table. Islamabad United failed to outplay the home side, Multan Sultans, in any of the three departments. Islamabad United, after being asked to bat first by Mohammad Rizwan, were able to score just 144, losing all 10 of their wickets in the process. In the end, it was a comfortable victory for the chasing side.
On that note, let us look at 3 reasons why Islamabad United lost against Multan Sultans:
(1)A disastrous batting display
Islamabad United got off to a very slow start after their openers failed to get going on what was a tricky pitch to bat on. Alex Hales and Colin Munro, who are big names in T20 cricket, combined to score just 10 runs off 21 deliveries.
After 6 overs, sitting at 32-2, Islamabad United were in deep trouble. The onus was then on the number 3 and 4 batters to stabilize things, which they did.
Agha Salman and Jordan Cox put up a 68-run stand, coming off just 8 overs. But, after that partnership was broken, the sorry tale continued for Islamabad United as their batters continued to disappoint.
Azam Khan, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf scored a combined total of only 25 runs off 24 deliveries.
Azam Khan’s 13 was the highest individual score for Islamabad United after Agha Salman’s 52 and Jordan Cox’s 41.
It definitely was not a 200-run track, but some sensible cricket and regular rotation of strike could have gotten Shadab Khan’s side to 165-170, which would have given their bowlers something to bowl at.
2)Failure to latch on to opportunities in the field
While defending modest, below-par totals, teams often look for that one moment of magic in the field that could turn things around.
Unfortunately for Islamabad United, they ended up dropping two very significant catches. Imad Wasim dropped two sitters, giving Mohammad Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks a life each.
Naseem Shah produced a chance on the very first ball of the innings, but Imad Wasim could not hold on to it at covers.
In the 8th over, he once again dropped a catch in similar fashion.
The first one kept a bit low and the second was just over his shoulder, but both were very catchable.
Looking back at it, if the two chances were grabbed, Islamabad United could have had a chance of winning the game.
Rizwan and Hendricks combined for a total of 101 runs, accounting for about 70% of Multan Sultans’ total score of 145.
3)Shadab Khan’s tough to grasp captaincy
In the history of the league, Mohammad Rizwan averages just under 19 against right-arm leg spinners. Going by the matchups, Shadab Khan should have introduced himself into the attack straightaway after the powerplay.
Surprisingly, he bowled his first over after half of the innings were already done, with Multan Sultans needing just 68 to win off 60 deliveries.
He struck immediately, removing Mohammad Rizwan on his very first delivery of the game. This made his decision to hold himself back for four overs post the end of the powerplay even harder to understand.
The way Naseem Shah’s brother, Ubaid Shah, has been managed so far is also questionable.
He has bowled just three overs so far across the two games he has played. Against Multan Sultans, he went for 11 in his first over, but came back well to concede just 4 in his second.
Having conceded 15 off his 2 overs, he could have been brought back into the attack towards the latter part of the innings.
However, he did not get to bowl again as the skipper decided to persist with himself.
Shadab Khan bowled the 17th over, with 39 to defend off 4 overs, and went for 18 runs. This was the over that killed the game totally.
Bowling in the death overs is never easy for wrist-spinners, and specially when it is Reeza Hendricks batting on the other end, who averages a mammoth 144 against right-arm leg-spinners across different T20 leagues.
(T20 Internationals not included)
If Shadab Khan is to play Ubaid Shah as a regular in his starting XI, he has to start showing some faith in the youngster.