Chapman 69* seals Qualifier berth for United; Sultans to play Eliminator 1
Islamabad United leapfrogged Multan Sultans with the win to finish second on the table
Islamabad United leapfrogged Multan Sultans with the win to finish second on the table
Commentator: Rashad Mahbub
That concludes today's double-header action. Thank you for tuning in and staying with us for all those wonderful cricketing moments. Tomorrow is a rest day in PSL before the four remaining teams gear up for the knockout stage. We will be back with more PSL coverage on April 28th, but stay right here with ESPNcricinfo as we continue to bring you plenty of cricket action every single day. On behalf of the scorers and the entire crew, this is Rashad Mahbub signing off. Goodbye and take care!
Ashton Turner: "[What did you make of the total] Yeah, I thought we were not far off par. But being par means that you still need to execute your skills in the second part of the game, and unfortunately, we weren't able to do that. Some key missed opportunities cost us the game, which is frustrating. However, we know that we've still got opportunities ahead of us in what will be a really big week. [Adapting to the conditions in Lahore] Yeah, I mean, we played really good cricket in Lahore, so our batting unit in particular will enjoy going back there. We need to pick ourselves up. Clearly, we weren't at our best tonight or in the last game. We've got some learnings to take out of those matches, so we'll find a way to get on the plane feeling refreshed and hopefully our best cricket is ahead of us. [A tactical move not to bowl Arafat Minhas?] Yeah, it was tactical. Every decision we make in the game is tactical. Mark Chapman plays left-arm orthodox bowling really nicely. To be fair to him, he played all of our bowlers well tonight. It's a matchup thing; we do our due diligence and prepare as best we can. The way it played out, as I said, if we hold some catches it might have been a little bit different."
Player of the Match, Mark Chapman: "[Love affair with Pakistan continues] I enjoy my time here, coming to play some good cricket. I'm just stoked for the boys today. We've been working hard over these last four days playing three games, so it's been pretty tough on the lads. It's nice to come away with a win tonight. Like you said, we played good cricket, and that is what's required, especially when you want to bite at that cherry. [Number two spot] If you said at the start of the tournament that you were going to finish in the top two, you certainly would have taken it. Obviously, Peshawar poses a great threat and they are playing some really good cricket at the moment, so we look forward to playing against them. [Partnership with Shadab] Yeah, I guess it was one of those chases where there were contributions throughout. I enjoyed batting with Shaddy; he's a top cricketer and a top man. I'm just glad we got over the line today."
10:34 pm It turned out to be a pretty clinical chase from United, though Sultans only have themselves to blame after a sloppy performance in the field. Even after losing both openers inside the powerplay, United still came away with 55 runs in the first six overs, keeping the momentum firmly on their side. Faisal finally broke through in the 8th over, getting Mohsin with a sharp googly. But that over also brought the moment that really hurt the Sultans - Wasim dropped Chapman on zero, and it proved to be a costly mistake. By the halfway stage, things were nicely poised, with the required rate around 9.70 and both Chapman and Shadab looking comfortable. Sultan's fielding though, continued to let them down, much like their previous game. Wasim, in particular, had a tough outing, with more misfields and missed chances creeping in. He did manage to remove Shadab for 36, caught at long on, but by then, the damage had already been done. Chapman took full advantage of the lifeline, bringing up a quick 26-ball fifty, while Haider chipped in with a handy cameo, 13 off just 5 balls, to keep things under control. In the end, it was a mix of poor fielding, missed opportunities and some wayward bowling that cost the Sultans dearly, handing them back to back defeats and dropping them from second to third in the table. Chapman remained unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls, calmly guiding United home. The Multan Sultans now head into Eliminator 1 against the Hyderabad Kingsmen, with plenty to reflect on after letting this one slip.
Yasser Saleem: "That dropped catch has dropped the match too for Multan. So it will be PZ Vs iu qualifier and Ms will play the eliminator . "
Dan: "MS fielding has been infuriatingly poor. Cost them the game."
Islamabad United won by 4 wickets
Dany: "What has happened to Wasim? Was such a promising prospect but he has completely lost his way now. Hope it's only a matter of form. "
16 runs needed off 12 balls
Islamabad United leapfrogged Multan Sultans with the win to finish second on the table