Islamabad United's openers, Shahibzada Farhan and Andries Gous, stepped onto the field to chase down the 169-run target set by the Multan Sultans. Joshua Little opened the bowling for the Sultans, and Islamabad got off to an 11-run start, with Little conceding two boundaries in his first over. Farhan, in particular, was in a destructive mood, taking down Michael Bracewell during the second over for 16 runs, which included a massive six.
Ubaid Shah, who bowled the third over, provided the first breakthrough for the Sultans by dismissing the in-form Farhan, who was caught by Usman Khan after scoring a well-made 22 runs off 13 balls. Colin Munro joined Gous at the crease, but the third over was quiet. Little returned to bowl his second over, which went for 13 runs, as the pair maintained an impressive scoring rate of nearly 12 runs per over. By the end of the powerplay, Islamabad reached 69 for 1, needing only 100 runs off the last 84 balls.
Munro and Iftikhar Clash
Both batters kept up the momentum, scoring at least 10 runs in every over and bringing the required run rate down to under 6. However, when Iftikhar Ahmed came to bowl, his tight over disrupted the flow. Colin Munro expressed his concern, claiming Iftikhar was chucking, which led to a confrontation as Iftikhar reported the complaint to the umpire. This incident created some tension in the middle. Islamabad United ended their first 10 overs with a score of 105.
Also Read: Multan Sultans Set 169-Run Target After Strong Start Against Islamabad United
Iftikhar Ahmed proved to be a momentum breaker when Colin Munro, clearly disturbed from the previous incident, lost his wicket to his compatriot Michael Bracewell. The catch was taken by Iftikhar, who stood with his hands on his hips, displaying attitude towards the dismissed batter. Munro left the field in frustration, missing out on a well-deserved fifty as he was dismissed for 45 runs off 28 balls.
Andries Gous' Match Winning Knock
Mohammed Nawaz joined Andre Gous, who was well-settled at the crease. Gous scored his first fifty of the PSL with a six, reaching his milestone in just 30 balls. Usama Mir played at a steady pace while Gous attacked the bowlers to finish the game swiftly. By the end of the 15th over, the score was 144 for 5 as the teams took a timeout.
With 25 runs needed from the last 30 balls, Mohammed Nawaz smashed his first six, looking to finish the match quickly. Gous hit another six against Chris Jordan, who returned to bowl the 16th over. With only 4 runs needed from the last 19 balls, Jordan dismissed Mohammed Nawaz after an appeal for a nick. On-field umpire denied it, but Mohammad Rizwan requested a review, and the decision was overturned.
This was a consolation wicket for the Sultans, but Andries Gous finished off the innings in style, leading Islamabad United to a 7-wicket victory over Multan Sultans. This win marked their fifth consecutive victory and their tenth overall in PSL history, solidifying their status as defending champions with a comfortable win away from home.
For the Multan Sultans, this match marked their fourth defeat of the season after a recent victory. They were comprehensively outplayed by the defending champions. For detailed match summaries, check the provided links below.
