Islamabad United secured a crucial second-place finish in the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL 11) standings after a nail-biting four-wicket victory over Multan Sultans at the National Bank Stadium on Sunday. The triumph earned United a spot in the Qualifier against Peshawar Zalmi, which is set to take place at the same venue on Tuesday. Islamabad’s chase of 193 was marked by a remarkable unbeaten knock from Mark Chapman, who played a pivotal role in securing the win with eight balls to spare. The team’s disciplined bowling effort earlier in the day had restricted Multan to a total of 192/7 in their 20 overs. Islamabad’s chase got off to a shaky start when Sameer Minhas fell for a single in the second over, leaving the team with just 10 runs on the board. Devon Conway’s departure for 18 in the sixth over further complicated matters, but Mohsin Riaz’s brisk 25 off 17 deliveries briefly lifted the team’s spirits. However, at 72/3 in 7.2 overs, the chase was still hanging in the balance. Chapman and captain Shadab Khan then joined forces to steer Islamabad back into contention with a vital 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Shadab’s 36 off 28 deliveries, featuring five fours, was crucial to the partnership before he fell in the 15th over. Islamabad’s momentum was briefly disrupted by the loss of a couple of wickets, but Chapman remained composed and guided the team home with a match-winning innings. The New Zealand batter finished unbeaten on 69 off 33 balls, striking four fours and six sixes. For Multan, Faisal Akram claimed two wickets, but his economy was expensive, while Peter Siddle, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Muhammad Ismail, and Mohammad Imran took one wicket each. Earlier, Multan Sultans’ innings got off to a positive start as Steve Smith and Sahibzada Farhan shared a 60-run opening stand, with both openers scoring 30. However, Islamabad’s bowlers hit back quickly after the powerplay, with Salman Mirza removing Smith on the final ball of the sixth over and Shadab Khan dismissing Farhan on the very next delivery. Shan Masood then took charge of the innings, making a brisk 44 off 33 balls, including three fours and two sixes. He added 42 runs with Josh Philippe, who made 11, before Islamabad’s bowlers broke through at key moments. Multan’s late counterattack, led by Arafat Minhas’s aggressive 31 off 19 balls and Mohammad Wasim Jr’s 26 not out off nine balls, added 55 runs in the last 21 deliveries and pushed Multan close to 200. Islamabad’s bowlers, including Chris Green, Salman Mirza, Salman Irshad, Imad Wasim, Faheem Ashraf, and Shadab Khan, each claimed one wicket.
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