Karachi (Web Desk): In a pressure-filled clash of the eleventh season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL-11), Islamabad United held their nerve to defeat Multan Sultans by four wickets at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Sunday, thanks largely to a match-winning knock from Mark Chapman and a disciplined all-round bowling effort.
The result ensured United ended the league stage in second place, setting up a Qualifier showdown with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Tuesday.
Pursuing a stiff 193-run target, Islamabad United crossed the line with six wickets down and still had eight balls in hand, but their innings did not begin smoothly.
Young opener Sameer Minhas was dismissed early with just 10 runs on the board, and Devon Conway soon followed after contributing 18, leaving the chase slightly unsettled. Mohsin Riaz added a brisk 25 off 17 deliveries, but his departure kept the pressure intact as the scoreboard moved to 72 for 3 inside eight overs.
The turning point came when Chapman joined captain Shadab Khan at the crease. The pair stitched together a vital 63-run stand that rebuilt the innings and shifted the momentum back in United’s favour.
Shadab played a fluent hand of 36 from 28 balls, striking five boundaries before being dismissed in the 15th over.
Even as wickets fell at the other end in quick succession, Chapman remained composed, taking control of the chase and finishing unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls, an innings decorated with six towering sixes and four fours, sealing the win in the penultimate over.
For the Sultans, Faisal Akram claimed two wickets but leaked 41 runs in his spell, while Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail and Mohammad Imran managed one wicket each.
Earlier, after being asked to bat first by Shadab Khan, Multan Sultans posted a competitive 192 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs.
Their innings began brightly as Steve Smith and Sahibzada Farhan put together a lively 60-run opening stand. Both batters scored 30 runs each, with Farhan taking one delivery fewer than Smith, but their dismissals in quick succession just after the powerplay dented the early momentum.
Following the double blow, vice-captain Shan Masood steadied things with a well-paced 44 off 33 balls, including three boundaries and two sixes. He shared a 42-run partnership with Josh Philippe, who struggled to accelerate and made 11 from 13 deliveries before falling in the 12th over. Masood then added smaller contributions alongside Ashton Turner and Arafat Minhas before eventually being bowled in the 16th over.
The Sultans found late impetus through Arafat Minhas, who played an aggressive cameo of 31 from 19 balls, striking three sixes, while Mohammad Wasim Jr provided a powerful finish with an unbeaten 26 off just nine deliveries. Their quickfire partnership added 55 runs in the final overs, pushing the total to a challenging mark.
Islamabad’s bowling effort was evenly shared, with Chris Green, Salman Mirza, Salman Irshad, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf and Shadab Khan all picking up a wicket each to keep the opposition in check.