RAWALPINDI: Islamabad United are on fire in the HBL Pakistan Super League X, racking up their third consecutive win in commanding fashion with a thumping 47-run victory over Multan Sultans at the Rawalpindi Stadium on Wednesday night.
Chasing a daunting 203-run target, Multan Sultans faltered under pressure and crumbled for just 155 runs in 18.4 overs. The architect of their downfall? None other than the towering Jason Holder, who unleashed a devastating spell of fast bowling to return figures of 4 for 25, tearing through the Sultans’ top and middle order with precision and pace. Despite a promising start from Captain Mohammad Rizwan (38 off 29), the Sultans’ chase lost steam after early momentum faded. Brief contributions from Usman Khan (31) and Iftikhar Ahmed (32) showed flashes of intent, but the inability to stitch together meaningful partnerships ultimately proved costly. “Possibly we conceded too many runs.
Though we got off to a brisk start, we couldn’t maintain the tempo,” Rizwan admitted post-match.
Earlier in the evening, Islamabad United’s batters put on a show under the Rawalpindi lights. Sahibzada Farhan continued his stellar run of form, blasting a dazzling 53 off 35 balls that featured seven crisp boundaries and a pair of towering sixes. His aggressive intent gave United the launch-pad they needed, racing to 80 runs by the ninth over.
The onslaught didn’t stop there. Colin Munro’s explosive 48 off just 25 balls—punctuated by three sixes and four boundaries—kept the momentum surging. Then came the finishing fireworks: Haider Ali (33) and Jason Holder (32 not out of 16) combined for a late-innings blitz, hammering 49 runs in under four overs to power United to a commanding
202 for 6.
Multan’s bowlers had a few answers, though Chris Jordan (2-41) bowled with commendable effort. Usama Mir and David Willey chipped in with a wicket apiece, but Islamabad’s relentless aggression ensured a total that always looked out of reach.
With this comprehensive win, Islamabad United continue to rise in the PSL X standings—dangerous, disciplined, and determined. Their blend of firepower with both bat and ball is turning heads, and at this rate, the title race just might be tilting in their favor.
Score: Islamabad United 202 for 6 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 53, Colin Munro 48, Haider Ali 33, Jason Holder 32 not out, Chris Jordan 2-41, Davis Willy 1-21)
Multan Sultans 155 all out in 18.4 overs (Mohmmad Rizwan 38, Iftikhar Ahmad 32, Usman Khan 31, Jason Holder 4-25, Imad Wasim 2-31)
Man of the Match: Jason Holder
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