When Multan Sultans meet Islamabad United, it ignites the stadium. The two champion teams captivate the fans not only in the two cities of the competing teams but across Pakistan. The MS-IU matchups have defined various contests and have become a part of Pakistan Super League history.
These two popular franchises have had 16 face-offs, with no clear leader yet, eight wins for each side proves that intensity of the rivalry. It all started on a wrong note when Multan Sultans lost both the games in their maiden appearance in the PSL. But once Sultans had a strong footing they became more competitive, winning both the matches against United in the 2019 edition. A sequence of alternate wins for both the teams was followed by a dominant run by Sultans, winning four matches on the trot from June 2021 to February 2023. However Islamabad United took the last two matches, including the 2024 final in Karachi.
Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood have been mostly successful against United. Pacer Abbas Afridi with 11 and leggie Imran Tahir with 10 wickets head the bowling charts. Shahid Afridi, Khushdil Shah, David Willey and Usama Mir have grabbed seven wickets apiece in head-to-head matches.
Here we take you back to five memorable matches between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United.
Five Memorable Matches between Multan Sultans and Islamabad United
February 1, 2022 PSL 7 Karachi
Multan Sultans won by 20 runs
A vibrant Karachi crowd witnessed a run-fest with 414 runs in the match spiced with 26 sixes and 36 boundaries as they applauded both the teams in equal measures. Islamabad United sent Multan Sultans into bat, a decision they regretted after the match. After a sedate 43 by Shan Masood, Rilee Rossouw came into his ruthless best. The South African dasher clobbered half a dozen sixes and four boundaries in his fiery 35-ball 67 not out. When a South African does fireworks an Aussie cannot be left far behind. So Tim David went one step ahead in aggression, knocking half a dozen sixes and as many boundaries in his eye-catching 29-ball 71. The pair lifted Multan Sultans to 217-5 in 20 overs, adding a rapid 110 for the fourth wicket.
England pacer David Willey controlled United’s belligerent top-order by dismissing Paul Sterling (19) and Alex Hales in an incisive opening spell. But Islamabad United skipper Shadab Khan threatened to take the match away with some astonishing hitting. Shadab’s 42-ball 91 had nine sixes and five boundaries. But Islamabad United’s sloggers Azam Khan (12) and Asif Ali (15) failed to supplement their skipper. Islamabad lost their last five wickets for 59 runs to finish 20 runs short.
But a handsome crowd got their money’s worth with fireworks from batters.
June 21, 2021 PSL 6 Abu Dhabi
Multan Sultans won by 31 runs
Allrounders are the most useful players in white-ball cricket. A special emphasis is given to players who are three dimensional, showing their skills in all three disciplines of the game. Sohail Tanvir was one of them who had been plying his trade in not only the PSL but in the leagues around the world. For Multan Sultans Tanvir was the hero in their 31-run victory over Islamabad United in the sixth edition of the PSL. The left hander scored a brisk 12 not out and grabbed three wickets to anchor the win at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Skipper Mohammad Rizwan opted to bat after beating Shadab Khan on the spin of the coin. Rizwan, though, failed to get going and was dismissed without scoring. It did not bother the other batters as Shan Masood with 25 and Sohaib Maqsood with a 41-ball 59 steadied the innings. Maqsood’s knock had three sixes and seven boundaries. West Indian Johnson Charles (21-ball 41 with three sixes and as many boundaries) and Khushdil Shah (22-ball 42 not out with five sixes) gave the real impetus to take the total to 180-5.
Tanvir then jolted the top-order with a burst of two wickets, removing Colin Munro and Shadab Khan in his first two overs for nought. Usman Khawaja fought a lone battle during his 40-ball 70 but only Hussain Talat provided him with some support, scoring 25. Lanky Zimbabwean pacer Blessing Muzarabani then wiped off the middle and lower-order batting with figures of 3-31. United were dismissed for 149 in 19 overs.
March 18, 2024 PSL 9 Karachi
Islamabad United won by two wickets
The final of the ninth edition was a close and exciting affair. This became the third time that Multan Sultans finished as runners-up in the PSL.
Islamabad United were lucky to pull this one off as they were facing defeat at 129-7 in chase of a 160-run target but as happened in the past Imad Wasim deprived Islamabad United from a fighting win. Imad had done that against Sultans for Karachi Kings in the past editions and his 17-ball 19 not out ensured United crossed the line.
Imad was at his best in bowling as well, fetching 5-23 to restrict Sultans to 159-9 in their 20 overs. Usman Khan with 40-ball 57 topped the batting chart while Iftikhar Ahmed with 32 not out (three sixes and as many fours) and Mohammad Rizwan 26 also chipped in with useful contributions. Shadab Khan was also effective with 3-32 as the National Stadium pitch helped spinners.
Former New Zealand opener Martin Guptill led the chase with a solid 32-ball 50, smoking three sixes and four boundaries but Multan Sultan kept the pressure with regular wickets. Iftikhar Ahmed and Khushdil Shah took two wickets apiece as Islamabad United lost four wickets in the space of 27 runs. Imad held one end intact. Eight runs were needed off the final over bowled by Mohammad Ali. Naseem Shah hit a boundary and with three singles in the over, the scores were level. At that point Ali dismissed Naseem to give hopes of a Super Over, but Naseem’s younger brother Hunain smashed a boundary to give Islamabad United a hard-fought victory.
February 21, 2021 PSL 6 Karachi
Islamabad United won by three wickets
Islamabad United squeaked to a three-wicket win after an exciting tussle at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Having lost the toss, Multan Sultans were inserted by Shadab Khan on a slow and double paced pitch. Mohammad Wasim Junior (3-29) and Lewis Gregory (2-31) kept Multan Sultans down to 150-8 in their 20 overs. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan kept his team afloat with a pugnacious 71 off 53 balls that contained two sixes and eight boundaries. Rilee Rossouw with 25 and Carlos Brathwaite with 22 not out kept the scoring intact but crowd favorites Shahid Afridi was dismissed for a first-ball duck.
Afridi, though, compensated in bowling with tight figures of 2-24 and Brathwaite 2-23 as Islamabad United were caught napping at 74-6. It was Gregory who held the innings together with a fighting 31-ball 49. He added an innings-repairing 43 for the seventh wicket with Faheem Ashraf, who scored 22 off just 12 balls. Gregory then took the task in his hands, smashing 30 in an eighth wicket stand of 34. He pounded on Sohail Tanvir with a six and three boundaries to finish the game in 19 overs.
February 20, 2024 PSL 9 Multan
Sultans won by five wickets
Multan Sultans had the better of Islamabad United in an exciting penultimate-ball finish at their home ground in Multan to start the PSL’s ninth edition in style.
On a tricky Multan Stadium pitch, Mohammad Rizwan sent Islamabad United into bat and was justified for the decision by his pace duo of Mohammad Ali (3-19) and Abbas Afridi (3-33). They kept their opponents down to 144 in 20 overs. Salman Agha with a patient 43-ball 52 and Jordan Cox 28-ball 41 gave some respectability to their team’s total, adding 68 runs for the third wicket. But off the last seven batters only Azam Khan with 13 and Shadab Khan with 11 managed to reach double figures.
In the chase of a tricky target, Multan Sultans lost Dawid Malan in the first over to Naseem Shah. It was left to skipper Rizwan and Reeza Hendricks to repair the damage which they did during their resolute 71-run stand for the second wicket. Hendricks hit an attractive 46-ball 58 laced with a six and six boundaries. Rizwan was more robust during his 33-ball knock of 43, cracking two sixes and six boundaries. A mere four runs were needed off the final over but Tymal Mills conceded just three singles off the first four balls to raise equal excitement on the pitch and in the stands. Iftikhar Ahmed took a sharp single off the fifth ball to see his team through.
