ISLAMABAD: Multan Sultans set a modest target of 169 runs for Islamabad United in the 13th match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 10 being played at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Opting to bat first, Multan Sultans got off to a cautious start to their innings as their in-form opening pair of skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Yasir Khan knitted 51 runs before the latter fell victim to Mohammad Nawaz in the seventh over.
A brilliant final over for Multan Sultans as Kamran Ghulam finished the inning with a flourish, scoring 13 off 6 deliveries, including a towering six and a neatly placed four.
Despite the setback of Usman Khan’s run-out, the Sultans managed to extract 13 vital runs from the 20th over, bowled by Salman Irshad, giving their innings a strong finish.
Overall, despite a bright start and a strong contribution from Usman Khan, Multan Sultans were unable to fully capitalise, losing wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs.
Michael Bracewell’s attempt to push the scoring ended prematurely, falling for 9 to a slower short ball, caught at long-on. Jason Holder chipped in again with a clever short delivery to remove Iftikhar Ahmed, demonstrating his experience and control.
Rizwan’s dismissals
The middle overs saw further breakthroughs. Shadab Khan, reintroduced into the attack, struck immediately, dismissing Rizwan for 36. Usman Khan, who had been the standout performer with a lively 51 off 29 deliveries, also fell to Shadab, unable to carry on the momentum.
Jason Holder’s return to the attack proved valuable as he applied pressure by keeping the scoring rate in check. Usman Khan’s aggression began to fade, struggling to find gaps, while Rizwan kept the scoreboard ticking with singles but could not quite accelerate.
However, Islamabad United eventually found a breakthrough, and it was a significant one—Mohammad Nawaz removed the dangerous Yasir Khan, who had looked set for a big score.
By the end of the powerplay, Multan had reached a promising 48 without loss. Yasir Khan, looking increasingly assured, showcased his intent with a ferocious pull shot off Riley Meredith that sailed over mid-wicket for a maximum.
Building momentum
Momentum began to build in the third over when Yasir Khan struck a crisp boundary off Jason Holder, clearing his front leg and dispatching a full delivery through mid-wicket to lift the home crowd.
Yasir continued to grow in confidence, lifting Imad Wasim for a flat slog-swept six over mid-wicket. Islamabad reviewed an LBW appeal later in that over, but UltraEdge showed no bat and ball tracking returned umpire’s call, allowing Yasir to survive.
Multan Sultans opted to bat first after winning the toss in Match 13 of the 2025 Pakistan Super League, a sensible decision given the batting-friendly surface and sweltering conditions, with temperatures soaring past 40°C. They began cautiously, managing just 6 runs in the opening over.
