PSL Final | Islamabad bank on Imad Wasim's all-round heroics in thriller enroute to a record third title

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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Multan Sultans succumbed to a third finals defeat on the trot as Islamabad United claimed an unprecedented third PSL title in Karachi. Imad Wasim's stunning fifer curtained the Sultans to a subpar 159/9 before his composed knock at the death helped carry the team to victory on the very last ball.

‌Brief score: IU 160/8 (20) [Guptill 50(32), Azam 30(22); Khushdil 2/21 (4)] defeat MS 159/9 (Usman 57(40), Iftikhar 32*(20); Imad 5/23 (4)] by two wickets 

Naseem Shah seemed to have got Islamabad United off to the perfect start in the final by scalping Mohammad Rizwan in the very first over, only to overstep and let his compatriot get away scot-free. However, Imad Wasim's double breakthrough in the ensuing over to get rid of Yasir Khan and the promoted David Willey had no such caveats. The team thereon clamped down on the red-hot Usman Khan with a wily short-ball strategy, who cobbled together a sluggish 53-run stand with Rizwan, before skipper Shadab Khan ended his counterpart's struggle for a run-a-ball 26 at the midway stage to leave Multan reeling at 67/3. Nevertheless, the Emirati battled to a 36-ball half-century before Islamabad took the game by its jugular. Imad and Shadab combined for four wickets across the 16th and 17th overs, the former becoming the first to get a five-wicket haul in a PSL final, as the Sultans crumbled from 114/4 to 127/9. It consequently took some Iftikhar Ahmed fireworks, the hard-hitter having inexplicably come down the order at number eight, featuring three maximums and as many boundaries to take his team to a respectable total of 159/9.

In response, the Kiwi pair of Colin Munro and Martin Guptill began the chase with flying colours, racking up 26 runs in the first three overs. However, Khushdil Shah abruptly halted their momentum by scalping the former in a wicket-maiden before accounting for Salman Ali Agha in the final over of the powerplay. The ensuing lull saw Iftikhar Ahmed crash into Shadab's stumps and Islamabad in a spot of bother at 61/3 at the halfway stage of their innings. Nevertheless, Guptill instantly responded with a brutal takedown of Usama Mir to eventually bring up a 30-ball half century while Azam Khan got going at the other end with shots of his own. The duo's 47-run stand came to a premature end when a miscommunication led to the opener's demise with eight overs to go. The Sultans thereon took control of proceedings and seemed to have the game in the bag when three wickets in as many overs left Islamabad 31 to get off 17 deliveries but Naseem and Imad had other plans. The latter struck two crucial boundaries in his 17-ball 19 while young Naseem blitzed his way to 17 off nine balls, only to be caught behind on the penultimate delivery with the scores level. However, his brother Hunain maintained his composure to pierce the infield and wheel off in wild celebrations. 

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