RAWALPINDI: Imad Wasim held on to his nerves after Colin Munro and Shadab Khan’s half-centuries to guide Islamabad United to a thrilling three-wicket victory over Multan Sultans in the 27th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 9 here on Sunday.
Islamabad United recorded the third-highest successful chase in PSL history as they chased a mammoth 229-run target on the last ball of the innings.
The home team had a horrible start to the chase as they lost two wickets with only four runs on the board inside two overs.
Colin Munro and captain Shadab Khan then turned the tide in United’s favour with their belligerent hitting.
They raised 141 runs for the third wicket in 64 balls, completing their respective half-centuries before Abbas Afridi broke the partnership with the wicket of Khan.
Khan went back to the pavilion after scoring 54 off 31 with the help of six boundaries and two sixes.
Munro also departed in the next over leaving Islamabad United reeling at 157-5 in 14 overs. He smashed 14 boundaries, including five sixes during his 84-run knock.
Haider Ali played a 19-run cameo before Mohammad Ali crashed his middle stump, bringing Imad Wasim to the crease.
With 48 needed off 23 balls, Wasim and Faheem Ashraf knitted a 40-run stand in 20 balls but Ashraf fell to Afridi in the last over.
Wasim finished the job with a four and six in the last two balls to chase the highest total in the ongoing PSL 9.
Ashraf scored 23 off 14, while Wasim played an unbeaten cameo of 30 runs from 13 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six.
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Afridi claimed bowling figures of 3-40 and Ali bagged two wickets for Multan Sultans.
Earlier, Usman Khan’s scintillating 50-ball century helped Multan Sultans post a mammoth 228/4 in their allocated 20 overs.
Islamabad United invited Multan Sultans to bowl first, but they had to wait for 4.3 overs to get the first wicket.
Yasir Khan dominated the 44-run opening partnership with 33 off 16 which included four boundaries and two sixes, while captain Mohammad Rizwan played cautiously.
Hunain Shah broke the partnership as he rattled Yasir Khan’s off-stump.
Rizwan scored 20 runs from 17 balls with the help of two boundaries and one six before Faheem Ashraf ended his brief stay on the crease.
Usman Khan and Johnson Charles joined hands for a quick partnership of 86 runs in 44 balls for the third wicket.
Charles smashed three sixes and as many fours on his way to an 18-ball 42 but missed an uppercut to Ashraf as the ball edged to the safe hands of wicketkeeper Azam Khan.
Usman Khan continued his onslaught as he knitted a one-sided partnership of 54 runs with Iftikhar Ahmed (13).
After Iftikhar Ahmed’s departure, Khan was joined by Chris Jordan (15) and together they scored 30 runs in the last 14 balls to see their team finish at the record total in their allocated 20 overs.
Khan hit a total of 18 boundaries during his unbeaten knock of 100 runs, which also included three sixes.
For Islamabad United, Ashraf led the bowling with figures of 2-32 in his three overs, while Hunain Shah and Naseem Shah bagged one wicket each.