It was #TheWDerby which kicked off the final leg of the league stage in Sharjah, both teams needed a win to confirm their spot in the playoffs, more so for Multan Sultans who were playing their last game. Shoaib Malik won the toss and decided to chase on a batting track in Sharjah. There were two changes for each side, for Multan it was Junaid Khan and Hardus Viljoen who made way for Ross Whiteley and Umar Gul while Islamabad United handed Alex Hales his debut in place of Steven Finn, while Zafar Gohar sat out and Amad Butt played his first PSL game this season.
First Innings
Luke Ronchi has made it a habit to get Islamabad United off to a quick start and today was no different, scoring 58 runs in 36 balls but this innings can be divided into two blocks of 18 balls. The first 18 balls — in the powerplay — got Ronchi 38 runs as he attacked the quicker bowlers of Multan Sultans, scoring three 6s and four 4s. But the next 18 balls saw him get just 20 runs as he could not go after Umar Gul or Imran Tahir and eventually lost his wicket to an Imran Tahir wrong’un.
The debutant Alex Hales though who just arrived from New Zealand made an instant impact with the bat with 46 runs in 33 balls. Hales needed 10 balls to ascertain how the pitch played, after that he actively looked to play his shots and get the quick runs needed in the middle phase. Between overs 5-15, Islamabad United scored 80 runs with Hales scoring 46 of those.
Once Hales got out, Hussain Talat who was at that point batting at 10 having faced 8 balls took on the mantle to go after the bowlers. Scoring at 12 runs per over in his next 13 balls. The highlight of Talat’s innings was his 6 of Ross Whiteley as he got down on one knee and deposited it over the square boundary on the leg.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Luke Ronchi (58 in 36), Alex Hales (46 in 33) and Hussain Talat (36 in 21) that Islamabad United scored 185 runs in a ground which has not seen many high scoring games this season (before this the highest scoring was 156 by Islamabad United versus Karachi Kings)
Second Innings
Misbah this season has looked to open the bowling with a spinner and on a pitch where the bowlers would want the ball to come on to the bat, it makes sense. Samit Patel was the spinner today and he hurt the Multan Sultans chase in the first over itself getting rid of Kumar Sangakkara and Saif Badar, while conceding just 6 runs.
Multan never recovered from the jolt in the first over as they struggled their 50 runs after 10 overs but having lost 3 more wickets with Faheem Ashraf, Amad Butt and Shadab Khan picking a wicket each.
The game looked all but over but Keiron Pollard who has made his name around the world for his big-hitting exploits was still at the crease and he was looking good. First scoring 27 runs in 25 balls, but then turning the switch on as the required rate kept increasing scoring 46 more runs in the next 22 balls to finish up with 73 runs in 47 balls. Mohd Sami ended Pollard’s innings with a ball on the leg stump, which he duly flicked given that the flick is one of Pollard’s favored shots but there was a fielder (deep square leg) positioned for that exact shot.
Islamabad United have now won 5 games on the bounce and became the first side to book their spot in the playoffs ensuring that they will be playing their first game in Pakistan.