1. Islamabad’s bowling attack this season has been the best by far this season, in the Karachi leg they conceded at 8.09 runs per over while the league average was 8.87 runs per over, in an innings that’s 15.6 runs fewer conceded than average by Islamabad.
Islamabad’s method to winning their games was going to be their bowling, so when they elect to bowl first they always look to concede below the par score at the ground and their batting wins them the games. Today was another day in which Islamabad won the toss, elected to bowl first and their bowling made sure that Islamabad chase a relatively easier total, the average first innings scoring rate in the 3 Abu Dhabi games has been 8.15 runs per over which translates to 163 runs in 20 overs.
Quetta managed to score only 133 runs in their 20 overs, 30 runs short than the average total this season and with sides in Abu Dhabi finding it tricky to chase — 2 wins have come defending totals and the one chasing win was decided on the final ball — it was important that Islamabad ensure that Quetta scores at a below par rate and make the chase as easy it can be for their batting. 134 runs in 20 overs is as easy it can get.
2. Mohammad Wasim Jr. made his T20 debut in this PSL, he has since been selected for Pakistan’s T20 squad for the tour of South Africa & Zimbabwe and prior to the start of the 2nd leg of PSL he was named in the T20 squad for the England & WI tour as well.
You get why Mohammad Wasim Jr. has been selected in the Pakistan T20 squad, the guy bowls well, really well. He has bowled 22 overs in his T20 career all of which have come for Islamabad United, 18 of those overs have come in the powerplay or between overs 16-20, both phases of the innings which are the toughest innings to bowl in. Powerplay overs have their fielding restrictions which incentivises batsmen to attack in the first 6 overs, while the death overs have the batsmen looking to score as many runs as possible before the innings end. So when Mohd Wasim bowls, it’s when the batsmen are looking to score as many runs as possible and he always comes out on top or has managed to come out on top on average. A look at his economy rate in these two phases and you see how good he has been in these phases when compared to the league average.
Mohd Wasim finished his 4 overs spell with Quetta conceding 12 runs and picking 3 wickets, in the powerplay overs he conceded 5 runs and picked the wicket of Faf Du Plessis and in the death overs he conceded 7 runs. He has shown that he has a good enough range to bowl in both phases of the game, in the powerplay he can hit the top of off stump and make the batsmen look to go after him and in the death he can bowl the back of the length bowl or nail those yorkers. All in all he has been impressive with the ball and before we forget he is just 20, the only way is up for him. After all these performances, you see why he has been picked for Pakistan.
3. Akif Javed has been out of the game for 9 months, injuries have seen him miss out. So when he was fit he was picked by the side for the Abu Dhabi leg, with the injury of Faheem Ashraf he was picked and he was an asset for Islamabad. 18 runs in 4 overs and the wicket of the well set Jake Weatherhald. Akif’s left arm angle brings in something unique to Islamabad United bowling attack where all the pacers are right handers.
Coming back after 9 months is never easy, to come back and concede just 18 runs in your 4 overs always feels special. Hopefully Akif Javed always keeps contributing whenever given the chance.
4. One of the best things sides can do in a chase is to get ahead of the asking rate in the first 6 overs given the field restrictions in place. Islamabad United have looked to do that whenever they chase this season.
Islamabad in powerplay overs have scored at 10.78 runs per over, but in chases they have scored at an eye watering 12.42 runs per over, Islamabad in chases leave the powerplay overs scoring close to 75 runs, there is a reason they go at the rate at they do when chasing.
Islamabad United’s average required rate at the start of their chases this season has been 8 runs per over, at the end of the powerplay the required rate has been 6.08 runs per over. Islamabad in the powerplay have gotten so far ahead of the required scoring rate that at the end of powerplay overs it’s a run a ball chase for the rest of the batting unit. Any batting side would rather take the opportunity to score at run a ball for 14 overs rather than at 8 an over.
To score at 12.42 runs per over needs the top order to go all guns blazing, with the batting depth Islamabad United have in place the top order knows that they can go after the bowling attack and if it comes out then well and good, you see games like this one and when it does not then you have batsmen to steady the ship and manage the chase.
Munro and Khawaja had the freedom to go after the bowling and the results are evident, Munro scored 90 runs in 6 overs, while Khawaja scored 40 runs in 27 balls. Both scored at more than 9 runs per over in Abu Dhabi, a venue where the scoring rate has been 8.2 runs per over. Munro and Khawaja are only continuing the Islamabad legacy of their openers being quick scorers, from Ronchi to Hales to Munro and Khawaja now.
5. Islamabad United in this chase managed to score the highest total in the powerplay overs of 97 runs, they became the first side in PSL to complete a chase within the first 10 overs of the match. It was as sweet as a win can get.
While the batting provided the fireworks, the bowling was the one who set up the game.