Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportDallas, TX (USA): Pakistan cricket team have arrived in Dallas, Texas, United States of America (USA) to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, as Green Shirts will take on the USA in their first match of the prestigious fixture on June 6, 2024.Pakistan Squad: Babar Azam (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman KhanPlayer support personnel: Wahab Riaz (senior team manager), Mansoor Rana (team manager), Gary Kirsten (head coach), Azhar Mahmood (assistant coach), Simon Helmot (fielding coach), David Reid (mental performance coach), Aftab Khan (high performance coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Irtaza Komail (chief security officer), Mohammad Imran (masseur), Mohammad Khurram Sarwar (team doctor), Talha Ijaz (analyst), Raza Kitchlew (media and digital manager) and Drikus Saaiman (strength and conditioning coach). 

Sports Bulletin ReportDallas (USA): Junaid ‘The X-Man’ Siddiqui’s signature leg spin is set to light up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, more than a decade on from the Canada star’s international debut.The 39-year-old all-rounder grew up playing street cricket amid the bustle of Karachi before moving to Toronto with his family at the age of 13.Siddiqui will now showcase his trademark aggression at the crease as part of his country’s historic maiden T20 World Cup squad and is looking forward to displaying his distinguished ‘X’ celebration on after every wicket he takes.Junaid Siddiqui said: “It was something to spice it up a little bit because I was very aggressive and when I was taking wickets, I would run off the camera every single time on the left. When I wanted to celebrate, me and my wife came up with something along the lines of an X to mark that the batter has gone. It’s more to save myself a bit of aggression and use it for one action. It came out well, people started liking and I just continued it. When I started leg spin in T20s, not many spinners could come and bowl in the powerplay. I was unique in that way.”Siddiqui was one of the first homegrown Canadian players to play first-class cricket and did so in Sri Lanka before being selected for his national team. The right-hander was recalled to the squad having last played an international T20 in 2022 and is now relishing the prospect of the opening day showdown against the USA in Dallas.“Playing in Sri Lanka was a huge experience for me because that motivated me so much. I played all my cricket in Canada where I couldn’t compete as much and there was not a lot of exposure, yet I was able to get picked in a first-class team. That gave me a huge boost where I thought I could pursue this as a profession. I’m proud and happy that I was able to do it for so long and I’m still doing it. There are setbacks, and every country has to face how to move forward beyond a World Cup and how to make a team – the process has happened over the last 13 years. We just don’t want to be a participant in the World Cup, we want to make sure that we go out there and be the best of us, we don’t want to be a passenger sitting in the bus. It (selection) was a big call. With what I have been doing for the last two years, I was expecting it one way or another because I had good performances behind me. When I found out, it was the best news of my life.”Playing in a tournament close to home is one thing but knowing how to play on an American wicket is another and Siddiqui is prepared for exactly what to expect. The seasoned pro has recently played for California Golden Eagles in the United States Premier League and believes the American wickets will provide high-scoring contests.“We have played on a few wickets like in Dallas and we know it’s a really good wicket to bat on with Major League playing there last year. The bowlers definitely have to be ready with these really good wickets. I’ve played a lot of cricket in the US on a contract and tournament basis and they have done a good job. The facilities are good, you will see high-scoring games and it will be a really fun World Cup.”Siddiqui need not look far for cricket idols growing up with Herschelle Gibbs and Abdul Qadir providing much inspiration for his career of longevity. Still, the one constant in his life remains his Muslim faith. As he prepares for a group stage against the USA, Ireland, India and his birth country Pakistan, he is using his belief and the support of his family to remain grounded on the biggest of stages.“My belief came from my performances, staying consistent. My parents and family gave me a lot of support and prayed for me, especially my wife. Their support made me want to keep going and that made a big difference. You work hard, you be humble, a kind person and leave everything in God’s hands. If it’s good, it will come to you, if it’s not, someone else will have it better.”

Sports Bulletin ReportLondon (UK): England beat Pakistan by seven wickets in the fourth and final T20I of the series at the Oval on Thursday to take the series 2-0. Both teams wrapped up their preparations for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 by warming up in the two T20I games at the Oval and Edgbaston while the games at Cardiff and Headingley were washed out.In pursuit of the 158-run target Jos Buttler and Phil Salt walked out all guns blazing as they hammered the ball to all parts of the ground. The duo ransacked 78 runs in the powerplay as Salt hit five fours and two sixes while Buttler belted five fours and one six.Haris Rauf removed Salt (45, 25b, 6x4s, 2x6s) in the 7th over and Buttler (39, 20b, 7x4s, 1x6) in the 9th over as England cruised to 102-2 at the halfway mark. Haris returned in the 11th over to dismiss Will Jacks with a searing yorker (20, 18b, 1x4, 1x6) who had hit him for a six a ball before.In the following over Jonny Bairstow belted Shadab Khan for two consecutive sixes to keep the run-rate abreast. An unbeaten 46-run fourth-wicket partnership between Brook (17 not out, 14b, 1x4, 1x6) and Bairstow (28 not out, 16b, 1x4, 3x6s) took England home with 27 balls remaining and seven wickets in the bag. Rauf was the lone wicket-taker for Pakistan.Earlier, after England invited Pakistan to bat first, the opening batters Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam put on a solid 59-run partnership hitting eight fours and a six. Jofra Archer drew the first blood for England as he removed Babar (36, 5x4s, 1x6) on the last ball of the powerplay.In the seventh over, Adil Rashid rattled Rizwan’s stumps who departed after scoring 23 off 16 balls with the help of three fours. England managed breakthroughs at regular intervals as the spin duo of Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid eked out the vital scalps of Fakhar Zaman (9, 9b, 1x6) and Shadab Khan (0, 1b) respectively leaving Pakistan 84-4 at the halfway mark.Azam Khan copped a five-ball duck in the 11th over. Usman Khan, in his breezy knock of 38 off 21 balls, smacked three boundaries and two sixes. Liam Livingstone delivered a double-wicket maiden dismissing Usman and Shaheen Shah Afridi as he left Pakistan reeling at 126-7 after 15 overs.Iftikhar Ahmed (21, 18b, 2x4s) and Naseem Shah (16, 18b, 1x4, 1x6) pushed Pakistan past the 150-run mark before England wrapped up Pakistan’s innings for 157 all out in 19.5 overs. For England Rashid, Livingstone and Mark Wood bagged two wickets each. Archer, Moeen and Chris Jordan struck once apiece.

Sports Bulletin ReportLeeds (UK): The opening fixture of the T20 International cricket series between Pakistan and hosts England called off due to rain at the Headingley Cricket Ground on Wednesday. The two teams arrived at the venue amidst heavy rain following, which the game was called off without even the toss taking place.Pakistan and England will now travel to Birmingham to play the second T20I of the series at Edgbaston Cricket Ground which is scheduled to take place on May 25, 2024.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): Additional public tickets for 51 of 55 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 fixtures are set to be released on Tuesday, 19 March at 10am AST, including for fixtures where tickets are currently unavailable. Fans will also have the first opportunity to secure a premium T20 World Cup experience through the opening of the hospitality programme.Following huge demand for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup tickets during the ballot, when more than three million applications were received, the expansion of public ticket availability will ensure that more supporters can experience the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup action live from each stadium.Fans can already create an account at the official platform tickets.t20worldcup.com to securely purchase tickets today to 37 matches. Prices start from as low as US$6 for select games in the Caribbean and from US$35 at USA venues.Venues with match’s tickets unavailable:Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago: Semi-Final 1 (26 Jun)Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill: Pakistan v Ireland (16 Jun)Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium, Dallas: Netherlands v Nepal (4 Jun), United States v Pakistan (6 June), Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (7 Jun)Guyana National Stadium, Guyana: Semi-Final 2 (27 Jun)Kensington Oval, Barbados: C1 v A1 – Super Eight (20 Jun), A2 v C2 – Super Eight (21 Jun), A2 v B1 – Super Eight (23 Jun)Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York: India v Ireland (5 Jun), United States v India (12 Jun)Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda: A2 v D1 – Super Eight (19 Jun), A1 v D2 – Super Eight (22 Jun)Public tickets remain unavailable for four matches, including USA v Canada (Jun 1), India v Pakistan (9 Jun), India v Canada (15 Jun) and the Final in Barbados (Jun 29).ICC Head of Events, Chris Tetley said: “We are delighted to have worked with our commercial partners to be able to release these additional tickets to 51 matches to ensure that we are accommodating as many fans as possible at every ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 fixture. The demand has been exceptionally strong for matches at venues across both the West Indies and USA, so we encourage fans to secure their World Cup experience as soon as possible to be part of what will be a historic event.”Fawwaz Baksh, Tournament Director, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 said: “With less than 80 days to the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, this announcement is an emphatic response to the global call from fans to make additional tickets available for matches and we are thrilled to be able to do this, while ensuring that as many people as possible have the opportunity to witness the biggest Carnival of Cricket in person.”T20 World Cup CEO, Brett Jones said: “We are thrilled to be able to offer additional tickets for sale to the public who are clearly hungry for them, and also happy to be in position to open our hospitality offerings. There are currently options for everyone, at all USA venues, but that is not likely to last long, so we encourage interested fans to act quickly.”

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: Peshawar Zalmi beat Quetta Gladiators by 76 runs in the HBL PSL Season-9 match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at Pindi Cricket Stadium Rawalpindi on Friday night.Quetta Gladiators’ captain Rilee Rossouw won the toss, and he decided to field first. Peshawar Zalmi scored 196 for 8 runs in 20 overs. Babar Azam played a brilliant inning for Peshawar Zalmi of 53 runs in 30 balls, as he hit 9 fours and 1 huge six. Tom Kohler-Cadmore added 33 runs off 19 balls including 4 fours and 1 six, Saim Ayub made 30 runs in 12 balls with the help of 1 for and 3 sixes, Mohammad Haris added only 20 runs in 13 balls and smashed 1 four and 1 six. Akeal Hosein took 4 wickets for 23 runs from Quetta Gladiators including a hat-trick. Abrar Ahmed got 1 wicket for 34 and Mohammad Husnain 1 for 54. Saim Ayub was declared player of the match.While Quetta Gladiators’ could score 120 runs all out in 20 overs. In this team, Saud Shakeel was the top scorer from Quetta Gladiators with 24 runs and he wasted 12 balls, as he hit 2 fours and 2 best sixes, Jason Roy made 16 runs by 16 balls with the help of 2 fours. Brilliant and successful bowling by Khurram Shahzad with 2 wickets from Peshawar Zalmi. Saim Ayub and Luke Wood shared 2 wickets each.Summarized Scoreboard:Peshawar Zalmi (Batting) 196 off 8 runs in 20 oversBabar Azam (53 runs, 30 balls, 4x9, 6x1), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (33 runs, 19 balls,4x4, 6x1), Saim Ayub (30 runs, 12 balls 4x1, 6x3)Mohammad Haris (20 runs not out, 13 balls, 4x1, 6x1)Quetta Gladiators (Bowling)Akeal Hosein (4 for 23), Abrar Ahmed (1 for 34), Sohail Khan (1 for 48), Mohammad Husnain (1 for 54)Quetta Gladiators (Batting) 120 runs all out in 20 oversSaud Shakeel (24 runs, 12 balls, 4x2, 6x2), Jason Roy (16 runs, 16 balls, 4x2, 6x0), Akeal Hosein ( 14 runs, 14 balls, 4x2, 6x0), Mohammad Amir (13 runs, 8 balls, 4x3, 6x0)Peshawar zalmi (Bowling)Khurram Shahzad (2 for 21), Saim Ayub (2 for 20), Luke wood (2 for 21) 

Sports Bulletin ReportRAWALPINDI: Islamabad United beat Karachi Kings by five wickets on Thursday night at Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. Shadab Khan-led United now sits in the second position on the points table with nine points edging Gladiators and Zalmi with better net run rate while Kings are stationed at fifth with six points.Chasing a modest total of 151, United’s opening batters put on a 28-run opening partnership before Mir Hamza drew the first blood for the Kings removing Colin Munro (9, 11b, 2x4s) followed by the prized scalp of Alex Hales (18, 13b, 2x4s, 1x6) as well.Islamabad accumulated 47 runs in the powerplay losing two wickets with Salman Ali Agha and Shadab Khan in the middle. The duo kept the scorecard ticking and at the halfway mark United required 73 off 60 balls.Blessing Muzarabani, bowling the 13th over, brought an end to the 58-run third-wicket partnership as he got Salman caught behind for 33 off 30 balls, including a boundary and a six. Zahid Mahmood took a simple return catch in the 15th over to jolt United again as Azam returned for a meager nine off eight balls.Islamabad needed a mere 36 off the last five overs when skipper Shadab (34, 26b, 4x4s) was undone by Hamza as Seifert pouched another catch. Faheem Ashraf announced himself with a towering six to the crease.Haider Ali and Faheem bailed out United with an unbeaten 36-run sixth-wicket partnership that sealed the deal for them. Haider looked in sublime touch, hitting the winning runs in the penultimate over, as he racked up a fluent unbeaten 26 off 16 balls with two fours and a six.Faheem, named player of the match for his heroics with the ball and fine efforts with bat and field, too returned with an unbeaten 12 on eight as United bagged a crucial win with five wickets in hand and eight balls to spare. Hamza picked up a three-wicket haul while Muzarabani and Zahid bagged one each.Earlier, Islamabad United won the coin toss and asked Karachi Kings to bat first. The Kings' opening pair of Shan Masood and Tim Seifert got off to a steady start with a 34-run opening partnership, which was broken by Faheem in the fifth over. Shan’s (10, 12b, 1x4) lean form in the HBL PSL 9 continued as he top-edged a length delivery against Faheem with Imad Wasim taking a fine catch.After Kings accumulated 38-1 in the powerplay, Faheem returned to remove Seifert, who had raced to 26 off 19 balls comprising five boundaries, in the seventh over courtesy of a spectacular catch by Munro at deep cover boundary.Veteran batter, Shoaib Malik struggled to get off the blocks and skied one off the bowling of Imad returning for a paltry six-ball one leaving Karachi Kings 45-3 after eight overs. Tymal Mills, returning to the United side in place of Naseem Shah, struck on the second ball of his spell to dismiss Mohammad Nawaz (5, 3b, 1x4).James Vince and Kieron Pollard got together in the ninth over and brought a semblance of stability to the Kings’ innings with a 58-run fifth-wicket partnership off just 33 balls.Pollard took apart Shadab, hitting him for three sixes across two overs, while Vince hit Mills for three consecutive boundaries in the 14th over. On the following ball, Mills took his revenge and brought an end to Vince’s 29-run outing aided by five boundaries.Faheem returned to complete his quota of four overs as he sent down two economical overs, the 15th and 17th of the innings, yielding only nine runs and rounding off his four-over spell for just 16 runs.Hunain Shah struck in the 17th over to remove Pollard for 39 off 28 balls on the back of three boundaries and as many sixes. Mohammad Irfan Khan (16, 13b, 1x4, 1x6) also followed Pollard in the next over as Mills outfoxed him.Karachi scrapped their way to 150-7 in the allotted overs. Mills picked up three wickets. Faheem chipped in with two wickets while Imad and Hunain bagged one each.

Sports Bulletin ReportDubai (UAE): The year 2024 sees the EAP host four ICC Pathway Events across Senior Men’s, U19 Women’s, and U19 Men’s. The bumper year will see all nine Associate Members of the EAP participate in at least one event, as each team strives to take the next step in qualification to the ICC World Cup, in the respective formats.Starting in Indonesia, Bali will play host to the second ever ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup EAP Qualifier. The inaugural event, also hosted in Bali in 2022, saw Indonesia successfully qualify for their first ever ICC World Cup, a special memory for all involved.Wesika Ratna Dewi, former captain of the Indonesian Women’s under-19 team said: "I feel proud whenever I represent my country and I know how it feels to win this qualifier and go to an ICC World Cup. It is difficult to achieve success at this level and it is important not to waste the opportunities we are given. The Indonesian coaching staff and team are well prepared for this event, and I am excited to see the next generation play. I wish all teams much success and look forward to seeing top level cricket at my home in Bali."All eyes then turn to Samoa who play host to back-to-back events with the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup EAP Division 2 Qualifier followed immediately by the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier A. This festival of cricket in Samoa will allow the country to showcase its talent to the world, both on and off the field.Sala Stella Siale Vaea Tagitau, General Manager of Samoa Cricket said: “Hosting two international cricket tournaments in Samoa not only shows the nation's commitment to sporting excellence but also provides growth opportunities for both Samoa as a country and Samoa Cricket as a sports organisation. These tournaments serve as a motivating force and inspiration in fostering community unity through more people participating in cricket, increased fans and commercial partners, promoting tourism, and empowering our youth with invaluable cricket skills, cultural experiences and friendship. Through these events, Samoa emerges on the global stage, reinforcing its stature as a vibrant sporting destination while propelling Samoa Cricket to unprecedented heights of success and recognition.”Completing the events is the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier B, to be hosted in South Korea on the the 10th Anniversary of cricket’s inclusion in the 2014 Asian Games, held in Incheon, South Korea. The event represents the first time South Korea has hosted an ICC event and aims to make a big impact in bringing cricket into a large market relatively new to cricket.Kim Nam Ghi, Chairman of Korea Cricket Association said: "Hosting a prestigious event like the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier B signifies a monumental milestone for Korea Cricket Association and cricket development in Korea. Beyond the excitement of international cricket returning to our shores, this tournament holds immense significance for us in terms of junior development and nurturing the dreams of aspiring athletes.“Being part of this event not only provides a platform for our players to showcase their talent on a global stage but also inspires them towards higher goals, including the dream of participating in future Olympic events. The exposure and experience gained through events of this calibre are invaluable in shaping the future of cricket in Korea and fostering a strong sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie within our cricketing community."Rob Gomm, ICC Regional Development Manager EAP said: “2024 is shaping up to be a huge year in cricket for the EAP Region. All Associate Members have a chance to take the next step in ICC World Cup qualification and bring pride to their fans back home. I want to wish all the hosts the very best with their preparations. The eyes of the cricketing world will be on us, and I am confident we will deliver four world-class events.”ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup EAP QualifierHost: Indonesia (Bali)Dates: 14 – 20 May 2024Participating teams: Fiji, Indonesia, PNG, SamoaICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup EAP Division 2 QualifierHost: Samoa (Apia)Dates: 6 – 10 August 2024Participating teams: Indonesia, PNG, Samoa, VanuatuICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier AHost: Samoa (Apia)Dates: 17 – 24 August 2024Participating teams: Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, VanuatuICC Men’s T20 World Cup EAP Sub-Regional Qualifier BHost: South Korea (Incheon)Dates: 28 September – 5 October 2024Participating teams: Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, South Korea

Sports Bulletin ReportMULTAN: Multan Sultans finished their home leg on a high after defeating Quetta Gladiators by 13 runs at Multan Cricket Stadium on Sunday evening. After posting 180-4 in the first innings, the Mohammad Rizwan-led side restricted Quetta Gladiators to 167-9, courtesy of three-wicket hauls by Mohammad Ali and David Willey.Quetta Gladiators won the toss and elected to field first. Usman Khan, playing his first game of HBL PSL 9, started the innings with three boundaries in the first over. Abrar Ahmed provided the first breakthrough as Usman (14, 7b, 3x4s) was stumped in the third over. Reeza Hendricks joined Mohammad Rizwan in the middle and the two stitched a 79-run second-wicket partnership to bring momentum to Multan’s innings.Akeal Hosein broke the partnership in the 14th over as Rizwan holed one out to Saud Shakeel at deep midwicket. The Multan skipper had to walk back after scoring his 18th HBL PSL half-century that showcased two boundaries and four maximums.Subsequently, Tayyab Tahir – also playing his first game of HBL PSL 9 – partnered with Hendricks for a quickfire 77-run stand that helped Multan get to a satisfactory total. In the last five overs, Multan amassed 68 runs, with the 18th and 19th overs going for 17 runs each.By the time Hendricks was dismissed in the final over, the damage had been done as Multan ended at 180-4. With his knock that yielded 72 from 47, which included seven boundaries and four maximums, Hendricks overtook Lahore’s Sahibzada Farhan to become the tournament’s current leading run-scorer.Tayyab finished with an unbeaten 35 from 22, including four boundaries and a six. Mohammad Amir bagged two wickets while Abrar and Akeal picked up one each.In pursuit of 181, Quetta Gladiators lost both their opening batters inside the powerplay with Jason Roy falling on an exceptional delivery bowled by Mohammad Ali in the third over and Saud Shakeel getting caught at mid-on by Usama Mir off David Willey.Khawaja Nafay and captain Rilee Rossouw batted together to add 62 runs for the third-wicket partnership until debutant Aftab Ibrahim got hold of the latter on the last ball of the 12th over. Rossouw walked back for 30 off 18, on the back of a four and two sixes.Sajjad Ali, coming to bat as a concussion substitute for Sarfaraz Ahmed, could only make two off two before Rizwan stumped him off Usama Mir’s bowling. Trouble deepened for Quetta as Nafay (36, 31b, 2x4s, 2x6s) found Usama behind point, awarding Ali his second wicket of the day.Sherfane Rutherford contributed 21 from 14, including two maximums, before he was caught and bowled by Willey. In the same over, Mohammad Wasim Jnr also fell for just a run. Amir chipped in with 12 off eight, including two fours, before Ali rattled his stumps in the penultimate over. Aftab, bowling the final over, removed Abrar on the final ball to award Multan the game by 13 runs.Willey and Ali bagged three wickets while Aftab returned with two. Usama also dismissed one batter.

Salman KhanMULTAN: Multan Sultans defeated Islamabad United by five wickets in the HBL PSL 9 here at Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday night, as this was second back-to-back victory for Multan Sultans. Multan Sultans’ decision to field first paid dividends as Islamabad United lost two early wickets. Carrying on his form from the previous game, left-arm pacer David Willey once again provided the first breakthrough for Multan Sultans as he took out opening batter Alex Hales for just two runs in the third over. Drama ensued in the following over as Colin Munro was caught on the first ball but the bowler overstepped, awarding the Islamabad opening batter a second chance. Only three deliveries later, Ali redeemed himself as he rattled Munro’s (8, 13b, 1x4) stumps. The fourth batter in, Jordan Cox, took charge from the get-go as he announced himself on the crease with a maximum against Willey on just the fourth ball he faced. In the next over, he produced a boundary against Olly Stone to help Islamabad United end the powerplay at 32 for two. Salman Ali Agha and Cox led the recovery for Islamabad. The two took on right-arm pacer Abbas Afridi, amassing 26 runs off his first two overs, as runs started to flow for the team after the powerplay. Khushdil Shah’s misjudgment in the deep cost two catches – in the seventh and ninth overs – as the third-wicket partnership grew to mount pressure on the home team. Leg-spinner Usama Mir struck in the 12th over to cut short the third-wicket stand after he trapped Cox leg-before. The English batter, who had reviewed the on-field umpire’s decision, walked back for a 41 on 28 on the back of two boundaries and as many maximums after the DRS showed three reds. Azam Khan could only manage to produce 13 from 10, including a four and a six, before he was caught by Willey at long-on, awarding Usama his second wicket of the night. Imad Wasim bagged a three-ball duck to bring Islamabad United down to 105-5 in 14.4 overs. Skipper Shadab Khan joined Salman on the crease. The pair added 35 runs for the sixth-wicket stand before Shadab (11, 9b, 1x4) fell to Abbas. A ball later, Abbas got his third wicket of the night after Salman (52, 43b, 3x4s, 2x6s) was caught by Khushdil. Ali dismissed Faheem Ashraf and Ubaid Shah cheaply and Naseem Shah was run out in the final over as Islamabad United finished at 144 in 20 overs. Ali, bagging three wickets at the expense of just 19 runs, was awarded player of the match for his crucial bowling effort. Abbas too picked up three wickets, while Usama had two to his name. Willey returned with one scalp as well.Defending 145, Islamabad United got off to a strong start as Naseem shattered opening batter Dawid Malan’s middle stumps, who had to return for a two-ball duck. Reeza Hendricks joined Mohammad Rizwan in the center and the two successfully saw through Naseem’s incredible new ball spell. They stitched a solid partnership yielding 71 runs to bring stability to the innings, until Rizwan (43, 33b, 6x4s, 2x6s) fell to his counterpart who had brought himself into the attack in the 11th over. Yasir Khan made eight off 11 before he fell victim to Imad, courtesy of a magnificent relay catch by Cox and Hales at deep midwicket. Hendricks took on Shadab in the 17th over, smashing a six and two fours on three consecutive deliveries to complete his half-century whilst bringing his team closer to the target.Shortly after, Tymal Mills struck to remove Hendricks (58, 46b, 6x4s, 1x6) and Naseem got Khushdil for just three runs in the penultimate over. Iftikhar Ahmed (18 not out, 17b, 1x6) and Willey (7 not out, 6b, 1x4), facing Mills in the final over, completed the remaining four runs to finish the game for Multan Sultans, with one ball to spare. Naseem was the best bowler for Islamabad United, picking up two wickets for 27 runs in four overs. Shadab, Imad and Mills had a wicket each.