Islamabad United cruise past Multan Sultans by 47 runs for third PSL win

An all-round performance from Jason Holder and solid batting from Sahibzada Farhan and Colin Munro guided Islamabad United to their third straight victory when they conquered Multan Sultans by 47 runs in their crucial show of the PSL X at the Pindi Stadium in Rawalpindi on Wednesday night.

Farhan (53), Colin Munro (48), Haider Ali (33) and Holder (32) catapulted United to 202-6 after being invited to bat first by Mohammad Rizwan.

Holder then claimed 4-25 in his quota of four overs to fold Sultans for 155.

In pursuit of a tough total Multan Sultans lost Shai Hope (1) early when he was removed by Naseem Shah in the first over. However, at this stage skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan tried to build the base. The duo, especially Usman, played a few massive hits, and his two sixes off Riley Meredith were a treat to watch.

They added 59 quick runs for the second wicket stand. It was left-arm spinner Imad Wasim who broke the dangerous stand by removing Usman for a 20-ball 31 which carried three fours and two sixes.

Kamran Ghulam joined Rizwan but he also failed to go deep by scoring a 13-ball 17 which featured one six and one four. Immediately after that Shadab Khan got rid of Rizwan to leave Sultans reeling at 96-4 in the 11th over.

Rizwan, held in the deep by Mohammad Shahzad, smacked three fours and one six in his 27-ball 38.

New Zealand's experienced all-rounder Michael Bracewell also showed some aggression but he was undone by pacer Riley Meredith for a 10-ball 16. Jason Holder piled-up further miseries on Sultans when he sent David Willey (1) back with Sultans gasping at 124-6 in the 14th over.

United then blew up the tail within no time to fold Sultans for 155 in the 19th over with Holder taking a couple of more wickets in the death overs to finish as a leading performer.

Iftikhar Ahmed made a 26-ball 32, hitting two sixes and two fours and was the last man got out.

Holder was ably backed by Imad Wasim with 2-33.

This is the second straight loss for Sultans.

Earlier after a delayed start due to heavy hailstorm which also unsettled the fans who were on their way to the venue United lost US-born Andries Gous (9) early, removed by David Willey after United were put into bat.

This was the third successive time that Andries failed to do anything noteworthy with the bat in this season. Despite Gous' cheap fall the opening partnership remained 45 which came in 29 balls and was dominated by Farhan, who scored 109 in the previous match.

Munro then joined Farhan and both added 35 quick runs for the second wicket. It was leg-spinner Usama Mir who got the prized scalp of Farhan, held in the deep by Iftikhar Ahmed. Farhan played some delightful strokes and his handful of off-side drives and a leg-glance was terrific. He brought in his fourth PSL fifty off 30 balls which carried seven fours and two sixes. Farhan, who had hit 106 in the previous game, also survived a caught and bowled chance off Michael Bracewell when on 22.

United were 80 when Farhan departed. Shadab Khan also failed to go deep and was removed by Chris Jordan in his first over for just 11-ball 14 with two fours which he hit off the bowling of pacer Ubaid Shah.

In his next over Jordan also had Azam Khan (4) which left United at 128-4 in the 15th over.

And soon afterwards Ubaid Shah got the danger man Munro to put Sultans in a good position. Munro smashed three sixes and four fours in his 25-ball rapid innings. However at this stage Haider Ali and Jason Holder used long handles to catapult United to a good total in the end.

Haider Ali smashed two sixes and three fours in his fiery 16-ball 33 before being removed by Hasnain in the 19th over. Haider hammered Hasnain for two sixes in this over which produced 17 runs. Haider-Holder sixth wicket stand was 49 which came off just 22 balls.

Holder remained not out on a 14-ball 32, smacking three huge sixes and two fours.

United were 62-1 in the powerplay while in the last five overs they made 72 runs.

Chris Jordan was the most successful bowler as he captured 2-41 in his quota of four overs. Usama Mir (1-31 in 4), Mohammad Hasnain (1-30 in 2), Ubaid Shah (1-37 in 4) and David Willey (1-21 in 3) were the other successful bowlers.

Earlier United made three changes by bringing in Mohammad Shahzad, Riley Meredith and Haider Ali in place of Ben Dwarshuis, Saad Masood and injured Agha Salman.

Sultans replaced Akif Javed and Shahid Aziz with Ubaid Shah and Mohammad Hasnain.