RAWALPINDI: Islamabad United continued their perfect run in the ongoing season of the HBL Pakistan Super League, thrashing Multan Sultans by 47 runs here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, thanks to Jason Holder’s impressive all-round show. The former West Indies skipper first contributed a cameo of 32 off 14 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes, and then took 4-25 with the ball as Multan were bundled out for 155 in their pursuit of 203. The result meant Multan, finalists in the last three seasons, are still in search for their first victory this year. Defending champions Islamabad, meanwhile, with three wins out of three have set up a solid base for their attempt at yet another playoff spot. United were boosted to 202-6 by crucial contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (53 off 35, seven fours and two sixes) and Colin Munro (48 off 25, four fours and three sixes) and cameos from Haider Ali (33 off 16, three fours and two sixes) and Holder down the order. Farhan carried on his form to help United post 62-1 in the powerplay. He brought up his second consecutive half-century with a four off pacer Mohammad Hasnain, before leg-spinner Usama Mir ended Farhan’s stay at the crease. Munro got on the act before he was sent packing by by pacer Ubaid Shah with Haider and Holder providing the late impetus. In response, Multan got a decent start, posting 62-2 in the powerplay, thanks to Usman Khan’s 31 off 20, and were 93-3 after 10 overs after Holder accounted for Kamran Ghulam. But the big blow came for them when Mohammad Rizwan (38) fell to United counterpart Shadab Khan. There wasn’t much more resistance from Multan as they lost their next five wickets for only 35 runs, with Holder taking three of them. ISLAMABAD UNITED: Sahibzada Farhan c Iftikhar b Usama 53 Andries Gous c Usman b Willey9 Colin Munro c Willey b Ubaid48 Shadab Khan c Ubaid b Jordan14 Azam Khan c Hope b Jordan4 Haider Ali c Bracewell b Hasnain33 Jason Holder not out32 Naseem Shah not out1 EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-3)8 TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs)202 DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Shahzad, Imad Wasim, Riley Meredith FALL OF WICKETS: 1-45 (Gous), 2-80 (Farhan), 3-103 (Shadab), 4-128 (Azam), 5-136 (Munro), 6-185 (Haider) BOWLING: Willey 3-0-21-1, Bracewell 3-0-37-0, Usama 4-0-31-1, Hasnain 2-0-30-1 (1w), Ubaid 4-0-37-1, Jordan 4-0-41-2 (2w) MULTAN SULTANS: Mohammad Rizwan c Shahzad b Shadab 38 Shai Hope c Farhan b Naseem1 Usman Khan c Meredith b Imad31 Kamran Ghulam c Munro b Holder17 Michael Bracewell c Holder b Meredith 16 Iftikhar Ahmed c Holder b Shahzad32 David Willey c Munro b Holder1 Chris Jordan c Meredith b Imad5 Usama Mir b Holder1 Mohammad Hasnain b Holder1 Ubaid Shah not out0 EXTRAS (B-8, NB-3, W-2)13 TOTAL (all out, 18. 4 overs)155 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3 (Hope), 2-62 (Usman), 3-92 (Kamran), 4-96 (Rizwan), 5-120 (Bracewell), 6-124 (Willey), 7-142 (Jordan), 8-150 (Usama), 9-150 (Hasnain) BOWLING: Naseem 4-0-34-1 (1nb), Meredith 3-0-35-1 (1w), Holder 4-0-25-4 (1w, 2nb), Imad 4-0-33-2, Shadab 3-0-16-1, Shahzad 1-0-1-0 RESULT: Islamabad United won by 47 runs. Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2025