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LAHORE: A composed chase led by Josh Philippe and captain Ashton Turner guided Multan Sultans to a convincing five-wicket victory over Islamabad United in the fourth match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 11 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing 172, the 2021 champions showed control throughout the innings, reaching the target with eight balls to spare despite a shaky start.
Multan’s pursuit got off to a stuttering beginning when Sahibzada Farhan fell early for just three, leaving the side at 16-1.
However, Philippe steadied the innings alongside Steve Smith, with the pair stitching together a brisk 45-run stand to revive the chase.
Smith, making his PSL debut, looked in fine touch with a fluent 31 off 23 deliveries before Salman Irshad broke the partnership.
The Sultans then suffered another setback as Shadab Khan dismissed Shan Masood cheaply, momentarily shifting momentum back towards United.
Philippe, however, continued to anchor the innings and found an able partner in Turner. The duo added a crucial 61 runs for the fourth wicket, effectively taking the game away from United.
Philippe’s aggressive 55 off 35 deliveries, featuring five fours and two sixes, laid the foundation before he was eventually dismissed by Shadab in the 15th over.
Arafat Minhas then chipped in with a quickfire 25 off 11 balls, ensuring there were no late hiccups. Meanwhile, skipper Turner remained unbeaten on 43 off 28 deliveries, calmly steering his side over the line.
Earlier, Islamabad United posted 171-8 after being asked to bat first, with Mark Chapman top-scoring with a brisk 40 off 21 balls.
United’s innings began on a positive note as Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas added 48 runs for the opening wicket. Conway made 26 before falling to Peter Siddle, while Sameer contributed 28.
However, a middle-order collapse saw United slip from a strong position to 75-3, with quick wickets derailing their progress.
Chapman attempted to rebuild with brief partnerships alongside Shadab and Haider Ali, but lacked sustained support.
Late cameo from Faheem Ashraf (26 off 17) helped push the total to a competitive 171.
For Multan, Momin Qamar was the standout performer with the ball, claiming three wickets for 24 runs, while Mohammad Wasim Jr picked up two scalps.
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