PSL 2024 | Usman Khan's heroic ton in vain as Munro-Shadab alliance secures Islamabad win over Multan

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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In a crucial encounter, Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans by three wickets, securing a spot in the playoffs. Chasing a mammoth 229 runs, Islamabad initially stumbled, but a remarkable 141-run partnership between Colin Munro and Shadab Khan propelled them to a sensational victory in Rawalpindi.

‌Eyeing the coveted third playoff spot, Islamabad captain Shadab Khan opted to field first against Multan following their impressive seven-wicket victory over Karachi Kings on Thursday. Multan Sultans' skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Yasir Khan had a spirited start, propelling their team to 39/0 within four overs. However, Islamabad's Hunain Shah delivered a decisive blow by clean-bowling Yasir with a well-executed good length ball in the fifth over. The woes continued as the in-form Rizwan departed during the powerplay, courtesy of Faheem Ashraf's precise full-length delivery resulting in an LBW. After the powerplay, Multan's scorecard stood at 58/2, with two new batsmen, Usman Khan and Johnson Charles, at the crease. Switching into a higher gear, the duo swiftly forged an impressive 48-run partnership. Nonetheless, Faheem Ashraf finally managed to break the partnership in the 14th over, after the pair had amassed a total of 144/3 in 13.1 overs. However, Usman, boasting an impressive season average of 128, reached his third half-century of the season in just 31 deliveries and forged a resilient 54-run stand with Iftikhar Ahmed, propelling the team to 193/3 by the 17th over. Usman's onslaught against the Islamabad bowlers persisted as he notched his second century of the season in a mere 51 balls, catapulting his side to a staggering total of 228/4 by the end of the 20 overs, the highest in the season so far.

Islamabad's batting endured a rocky start when opener Alex Hales fell victim to David Willey in the first over. Their woes compounded as Agha Salman departed in the second over. However, Colin Munro and skipper Shadab Khan took charge during the powerplay, propelling the score to 65/2 by the end of it. Despite Munro's hamstring concerns, he blitzed to a remarkable fifty off just 16 deliveries. The duo aggressively tackled Multan's bowlers, forging a formidable 141-run partnership and guiding Islamabad to 144/2 in 12 overs. Shadab's dismissal for a brisk 54 off 31 deliveries marked a pivotal moment as Islamabad faced another setback soon after when Azam Khan followed for a duck. The pressure intensified once Jordan dismissed Munro in the 14th over. With Haider Ali also departing, Islamabad stood at 191/6 after 17 overs. However, Faheem Ashraf and Imad Wasim staged a remarkable recovery. Requiring 26 runs from the final two overs, the pair managed to score 13 runs, setting the stage for a thrilling last over with 13 runs needed. Following an essential boundary, Faheem was dismissed on the third ball of the final over. However, Imad Wasim remained resolute in steering his team to victory. With a six and a four off the last two balls, Islamabad clinched a thrilling three-wicket win over Multan to join Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi in the playoffs. 

What a thriller!

Good delivery

Three in a row

Usama mir on fire

Big wicket

Winning

Redhot

Strikes

A fire

Golden arm

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