KARACHI: A resounding batting performance against Multan Sultans sealed a top-two finish for Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 clash at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday.
IslamUnited aced the 193 run target inside 18 overs, thanks to an all round batting display headlined by Mark Chapman’s unbeaten knock.
United started shakily in pursuit of a big chase, losing Sameer Minhas and Devon Conway in the first five overs.
After an early blow, Mohsin Riaz and Shadab Khan batted aggressively, particularly the former, who took off from where he left off in the previous game.
Riaz hit five fours in his 25 off 17 before Faisal Akram was introduced into the attack to break the threatening 31-run stand.
The scorecard read 72 in 7.3 overs when Chapman joined skipper Shadab to steady United’s ship. The duo’s brisk batting kept the Sultans bowlers away and brought the team’s total to 135 in just 14.3 overs.
Shadab scored 36 on 28 balls with the aid of five boundaries.
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Despite Sultan’s quick strikes, Mark Chapman remained steady and finished the match in style with a boundary on the third ball of the penultimate over. The New Zealander hit six towering sixes and four crisp boundaries in his unbeaten 69 from 33 balls.
For Sultans, Faisal Akram took two wickets.
With this victory, United finished on 14 points and now will play Peshawar Zalmi on April 28 at the same venue.
Earlier, Shan Masood’s gutsy knock, backed by Arafat Minhas and Mohammad Wasim’s cameo, lifted Multan Sultans to a strong total.
Asked to bat first, Sultans managed to put 192-7 in 20 overs.
The inform duo of Sahibzada Farhan and Steve Smith gave a blazing start, bringing the team’s total to 60 before United made a comeback with wickets in quick succession.
Smith was caught behind on the last ball of the power play, whereas Farhan was removed on the first ball of the sixth over. Both players departed for identical scores of 30, hitting four boundaries and a six each.
The scorecard read 60-2 in 6.1 overs with two new batters — Shan Masood and Josh Philippe at the crease. The pair launched a recovery and forged a 42-run partnership off 34 balls.
United bowlers did well to stem the flow of runs after being tonked all around the park. But it was a similar pattern that haunted the Sultans as they lost wickets in quick succession.
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Philippe’s scratchy 11 off 13 balls ended in the 12th over, with Chris Green taking a fine catch. The setback was compounded an over later, when skipper Ashton Turner (9) was caught and bowled.
The slide continued as Shan Masood fell two overs later, while Mohammad Imran managed just five before being dismissed in the next over, reducing the Sultans to 136-6 in 16.3 overs.
However, Mohammad Wasim and Arafat Minhas combined to inject late impetus in the innings with a quick-fire 56-run partnership.
Wasim hit two sixes and two fours in his 26* from just nine, while Minhas tonked three sixes and a four in his unbeaten 31 off 19.
For Islamabad United, all six bowlers used picked up a wicket each, with Imad Wasim remaining the standout for his economical bowling.
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