Image Credit- PSL
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
defence 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. Guptill dispatched Usama Mir, the
tournament’s top wicket-taker, with two sixes and a four, and Azam amassed
fifteen off a wayward Chris Jordan over, and the pendulum swung again.
However, it was
never going to be simple, and after a daring 50 years, Guptill left due to a
misunderstanding between the two. Perhaps this year’s most impressive fast
bowler, David Willey, struck to dismiss Haider Ali, whose forceful hitting in
the elimination match propelled United to this point. All that was left was
Imad and the tail after Iftikhar, whose contribution this evening appeared so
often to be crucial, forced away Faheem Ashraf, the man who had hit the
six-year-old that had sealed United’s previous title.
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. And even though he appeared to be the most composed man as
he pushed it through the infield to win, the tears he broke into afterwards
belied the steely front the 20-year old had put on.