Islamabad United, under Shadab Khan‘s leadership, qualified for the playoffs of the 9th edition of the PSL, after winning a closely fought encounter against Mohammad Rizwan’s Multan Sultans.
The PSL seems to be peaking in terms of quality of cricket, with some brilliant games of cricket lately. Another last-ball thriller saw Shadab Khan and his side win a do-or-die game, thanks to a Colin Munro masterclass that helped Islamabad United pull off the third highest chase in the tournament’s history.
On that note, let us look at how Islamabad United pulled off a heist against Multan Sultans:
(1) Superb spell from Naseem Shah in a high-scoring game
In a game that saw 460 runs being scored across the two innings, Naseem Shah once again proved his mettle, bowling a superb spell. Naseem Shah, as he so often does, hit the right lengths early on. With some movement in the air and off the seam, it made it very tough for the batters to get going against him.
He bowled some beautiful deliveries in the powerplay, and went for only 12 runs off his two overs. In his second spell towards the latter part of the innings, he came in and delivered the imperative breakthrough of Iftikhar Ahmed, which was potentially the difference between a 228 and 240 total.
He also finished well, going for just 9 runs in the last over of the innings. Despite all the carnage, Naseem Shah proved why he is such an asset in this format of the game. With his ability to vary his pace, line, and length so smartly, he managed to bowl a superb spell that kept Islamabad United in the game and ensured that the target did not go beyond the chasing side’s reach.
(2) A Colin Munro special and a skipper’s knock from Shadab Khan
After being reduced to 4-2 in a mammoth chase, Shadab Khan’s side found themselves in immense trouble. In such a chase, the batters can barely afford to take any time to settle in, and having lost two wickets within the first ten deliveries of the innings, it was going to need something special to pull the chase off.
What followed was exactly that, a spectacular stand between Colin Munro and the skipper, Shadab Khan. After a quiet start to the chase, the pair decided to switch gears in the fourth over, where they went after Mohammad Ali and made their plans clear.
Shadab Khan unfurled some classy drives and cuts, while Colin Munro, after pulling his hamstring, went berserk and slogged anything that was asking to be hit. It rained boundaries, with Colin Munro and Shadab Khan combined clearing the ropes 7 times and finding the fence 15 times in their partnership.
The duo added 142 runs off just 64 deliveries, making it one of the greatest partnerships ever in the league’s history, considering it came in a huge chase, and in a must win game for the side.
(3) Lower middle order stepping up
Although Colin Munro and Shadab Khan brought Islamabad United right back into the game, they were dismissed in quick succession. Moreover, Azam Khan, who has been in scintillating touch this season, was dismissed for a silver duck.
At the end of the 14th over, Islamabad United still needed another 72 runs to win the game, with half their side back in the hut, including the scalps of Colin Munro, Shadab Khan and Azam Khan. Luckily for Shadab Khan, the likes of Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim all turned up and played their roles in guiding Islamabad United to a sensational victory.
Haider Ali, who seems to be back at his very best, scored a handy 19 runs off 13 deliveries, including a hattrick of fours off Usama Mir’s bowling, which shifted the momentum back towards the Islamabad United. Faheem Ashraf, who almost pulled off a heist against Shaheen Afridi’s Lahore Qalandars a few days back, yet again played a good knock, scoring 23 runs and playing a couple of shots that released the mounting pressure.
The man of the moment, however, was Imad Wasim. The all-rounder put all his experience to use, and took his side over the line in what was a last-ball thriller. He took the game deep, and when it mattered the most with 7 runs needed off two balls, he finished it off with a six and a four.