Hunain Shah wins with the last ball as Multan falls in yet another thrilling match.
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Islamabad United is the team that knows how to win PSL finals, even though Multan Sultans may have the recipe for getting there. For the Sultans, it was deja vu as they watched another PSL final be stolen from them in a low-scoring thriller ending. United's hero was Imad Wasim, who defied time with an incredible all-around effort. He claimed five wickets and was out in the middle when Hunain Shah angled the final delivery behind point to win United's third title.
In Karachi today, the drama of the previous year's epic final, which the Sultans lost by a run, was undoubtedly surpassed. At several points during both innings, United looked to have won that match, but never more so than when they got the Sultans down to 127 for 9. However, Iftikhar Ahmed's cameo of an unbeaten 32 off 20 balls lifted the Sultans to 159, a score that they felt they had just about enough manpower to defend thanks to a brilliant bowling assault.
And what a strong defense they put up. Even though Colin Munro was obviously still having trouble recovering from the leg injury that had kept him out of the previous three games, United started the batting with two 37-year-old New Zealanders after dropping the struggling Alex Hales. Martin Guptill took full advantage of the Powerplay, showing off his precise timing and raw power, while Sultans hammered away at the other end, bringing United to heel with a barrage of spinners on a surface that was starting to get grip.
After Khushdil Shah's two strikes, Munro and Salman Ali Agha were gone, and something that was supposed to be easy turned into a slog at an indeterminate moment. After Iftikhar gave a weak opening performance, Shadab Khan, who had been utterly confident at bat throughout the competition, tried a panicky slog and paid for it with his wicket. Nerves were starting to get the better of the most composed PSL squad; Azam Khan was having trouble getting going, and even Guptill was being hauled back down to earth.
However, there's just one way United knows how to escape, so Azam and Guptill started to release their arms once more. After Usama Mir, the tournament's top wicket-taker, was dismissed by Guptill with two sixes and a four, Azam scored fifteen from a mishandled Chris Jordan over, and the balance swung once more.
Imad had slipped into the dressing room late in the first innings for a quick smoke, but he was now unable to escape the stress he was experiencing. The game appeared to have finally tipped off the tightrope it was walking until Iftikhar and Naseem Shah, followed by Jordan and Imad, engaged in a crucial duel in the 18th and 19th overs. 23 off those two overs reduced the equation to eight off six. The game was reduced to less than a run-a-ball after a clip through mid-on, and two singles tied the score.
However, the drama would not go away. After Naseem misplayed a pull shot, causing the ball to kiss the edge, Shah left, leaving his younger brother Hunain to finish the job. Even though the 20-year-old appeared composed as he edged through the infield to secure the victory, the tears he shed later on contradicted his tough exterior.
Even though United's victory was eventually ferocious and chaotic, their first-inning setup was the complete opposite. Using Imad and Shadab in the powerplay to suffocate a Sultan's top order that has appeared imperious throughout this season, a cunningly crafted gameplan was expertly carried out. Had Naseem not overstepped his right boot, Mohammad Rizwan would have fallen in the first over, then in the next over, a cunning Imad tricked Yasir Khan in the flight. Willey was sent in by the Sultans in an attempt to get a cheap wicket, but he would only survive three balls—a hoick and a chop that struck the stumps.
The Sultans' batting sensation of late has been Usman Khan, but United wouldn't let any batsman to really get going. Naseem's pace was terrifying and his accuracy was metronomic, which is why his first three overs went for just nine runs even though he never took a wicket. Shadab and Imad combined to take eight wickets in eight overs of devastating spin, which included a collapse that saw the Sultans lose five wickets in 12 balls and hover about 127.
Iftikhar, who has the greatest strike rate in this tournament, knew that United hadn't quite managed to account for him, so he saved the best for last. He ambushed Mills for 13 and an otherwise flawless Naseem for 18 in the last over, slogging with the miraculous freedom that only mental clarity can bestow, to take his team up to 159, a score that was below average but still defendable. Despite his best efforts, he could never fully repay the debt his teammates had accrued, even if he had fulfilled his half of the agreement with the bat and the ball. Additionally, they made sure to take the cutlery with them when United arrived to pick it up.
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