Multan Sultans get comfortable win over Islamabad

LAHORE: Underdog Multan Sultans got a comprehensive six wickets win over former champions Islamabad United in the third phase encounter of the Fourth Pakistan Super League.

Sultans attack combined with David Christian, Mohammad Ilyas, Nauman Ali and Shahid Afridi terminated Islamabad United’s innings at 121. Whole of the United batting folded in 17.4 overs and in response Sultans achieved 122 in 18.1 overs to have second win of the event.

Though Multan did get to an easy win but late drama with the fall of two quick Sultan wickets slowed down their stride to the target. Opener Umer Saddiq and JM Vince provided a solid start to 54 runs to Sultans’ approach to the target. Their opening stand came to an end when Vince became the first victim off Patel at 28 he got in 17 balls. Umer, who kept on developing the score, saw J Charles trapped LBW by Shadab Khan. But Sultan captain Shoaib Malik gave the support Umer required at that point in time and he took the score from 59 to 99 before Umer was sent packing by Rummer Raees at run a ball 46. Before heading back to the pavilion, Umer hit five fours and a six. At the very moment after Umer, Mailk saw LJ Evans bowled by Mohammad Musa. There the scores and balls almost got even, but Malik 23 in 32 balls and Christian nine-ball 16 took Sultans home.

Earlier, Shoaib Malik-led Sultans were off to a good start as United lost successive wickets in the powerplay and afterwards. Their right arm medium pace Ilyas ignited United collapse taking the wickets of both the openers, followed by two wickets each shared by Nauman, Afridi and later Christian brought United innings to an end with three wickets while in between Mohammad Irfan snared one scalp. Cameron Delport and Sahibzada Farhan were dismissed on four runs respectively. Opener Luke Ronchi and Samit Patel remained at the crease for a while and both the players developed their innings to 32 and 20 runs respectively.

Asif Ali and Faheem Ashraf were the only other batters to score 22 and 16 runs in the order of play. Ronchi was United’s top scorer with 32 off 16 deliveries. Delport was caught at deep midwicket by James Vince at the delivery of Mohammad Ilyas in the first over. Nauman Ali picked out Sahibzada Farhan after he got stumped by wicketkeeper Umar Siddiq. Ilyas claimed the massive wicket of Ronchi, who got caught at deep by Sultans skipper Shoaib Malik in the fifth over.

Afridi bowled Hussain Talat on 8 during the 10th over of the match. Patel perished Afridi, thanks to a sensational catch by Christian who first took the catch near the boundary, before scooping this to his team-mate James Vince to cover up. Lanky speedster Irfan caught and bowled Parnell who hit a loose shot straight into the hands of Irfan on 5.

Christian picked up back to back wickets in the 16th over, first he dismissed Asif Ali who got caught on 22 by Umar Siddiq. Rumman Raees was next to follow after he was lbw the very next ball. Mohammad Musa became the third wicket of Christian, after the tail-ender was taken at midwicket on 2.