MULTAN: Just a day after Multan Sultans finally found themselves in the driving seat, Islamabad United came in their way.
And the most clinical side in the ongoing HBL Pakistan Super League edition so far, did what it has done all season; win matches. On Wednesday night here at the Multan Cricket Stadium, United registered their fifth victory in as many games.
Sultans, who got their only win on Tuesday — a 33-run drubbing of Lahore Qalandars — meanwhile, saw their play-off hopes dwindle further after the seven-wicket loss against the holders.
United opener Andries Gous (80 off 45, six fours and five sixes) came forward with his best show this season, with the American batter hitting his maiden PSL half-century to help his team easily chase down 169 with 17 balls to spare.
He thrived on a tricky surface for batting after Sahibzada Farhan departed following a 22 off 14 (three fours and a six) — with Ubaid Shah getting the batter of the right-hander with a fast bouncer — before Gous and the incoming Colin Munro boosted the side to 69-1 in the powerplay.
The pair brought up its 50-run partnership off 31 balls after Munro slog-swept leg-spinner Usama Mir for a huge six over square leg in the seventh over.
Usama came in Gous’ radar in the ninth, as the United States batter smashed the lanky bowler pact long-off for four before slogging him over deep midwicket.
After United had reached 105-1 by the 10th over — which had seen Munro (45 off 28, five fours and two sixes) and spinner Iftikhar Ahmed get involved in a heated exchange – the former New Zealand batter holed compatriot off-break bowler Michael Bracewell to Iftikhar at long-on.
But losing his partner after an 81-run partnership off 48 balls didn’t affect Gous. The right-hander avenged Iftikhar with a hit past long-off for four more before launching the spinner over long-on to bring up his 50 in 29 balls.
With United in no hurry, Mohammad Nawaz, who had just arrived, took his time before sweeping Usama through fine-leg for his first boundary and took on the bowler again in the 16th over again, this time for six over long-on.
Gous lifted pacer Chris Jordan before clubbing Ubaid through the on-side for sixes to finish off the match.
Earlier, Multan struggled to get going after winning the toss and opting to bat first. They were kept under check throughout the innings by the United bowlers, who ensured things stayed tight at least at one end, despite a decent show of sorts by Usman Khan.
Multan scampered their way to 48-0 in the powerplay, but lost in-form opener Yasir Khan in the seventh over with the batter looking dangerous in his knock of 29 off 17 (two fours and as many sixes), which ended with spinner Nawaz taking his wicket.
United got a chance to double up on their advantage when first-drop Usman skied his first attempt to clear the fence, only for Saad Masood to let the balls slip through his hands and across the boundary.
Usman celebrated his reprieve in the next over with a powerful hit off United captain Shadab Khan’s leg-spin over long-off for six as Sultans reached 78-1 at halfway stage. He further punished United with a six off Imad Wasim and three boundaries off Salman Irshad as Sultans crossed the 100-run mark in the 12th over.
While Usman flourished, Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan had struggled to a run-a-ball 36 at the other end, and his agonising stay at the crease was ended by Shadab in the 14th over, which had also seen Usman hit a six and a four.
He also saw Bracewell perish at the other end thanks to pacer Riley Meredith in the 16th before Jason Holder bounced Iftikhar out. Usman then faltered himself, getting run out in the 19th over after adding 60 off 44 (four fours and as many sixes).
Kamran Ghulam smacked pacer Salman for six in the last over — Sultans’ first boundary in 16 balls — and swept for another four as Multan got to a total that proved to be too less at the end.
Scoreboard
MULTAN SULTANS:
Yasir Khan c sub (Shahzad) b Nawaz 29
Mohammad Rizwan c Saad b Shadab 36
Usman Khan run out 61
Michael Bracewell c Nawaz b Meredith 9
Iftikhar Ahmed c Gous b Holder 10
Chris Jordan not out 6
Kamran Ghulam not out 13
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-2) 4
TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs) 168
DID NOT BAT: Tayyab Tahir, Usama Mir, Josh Little, Ubaid Shah
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-51 (Yasir), 2-116 (Rizwan), 3-130 (Bracewell), 4-146 (Iftikhar), 5-151 (Usman)
BOWLING: Meredith 4-0-33-1 (1w), Imad 3-0-25-0, Holder 4-0-25-1, Nawaz 2-0-13-1, Shadab 3-0-29-1 (1w), Salman 4-0-41-0
ISLAMABAD UNITED:
Sahibzada Farhan c Usman b Ubaid 22
Andries Gous not out 80
Colin Munro c Iftikhar b Bracewell 45
Mohammad Nawaz c Usman b Jordan 21
Saad Masood not out 0
EXTRAS (NB-2, W-1) 3
Total (for three wickets, 17.1 overs) 171
DID NOT BAT: Shadab Khan, Haider Ali, Jason Holder, Imad Wasim, Riley Meredith, Salman Irshad
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-29 (Farhan), 2-110 (Munro)
BOWLING: Little 2-0-24-0 (1w), Bracewell 4-0-31-1, Ubaid 3.1-0-31-1 (1nb), Jordan 2-0-24-1 (1nb), Usama 4-0-41-0, Iftikhar 2-0-20-0
RESULT: Islamabad United won by seven wickets.
PLAYER-OF-THE-MATCH: Andries Gous
Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2025