Multan, April 23, 2025:
Defending champions Islamabad United tightened their grip at the top of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2025 points table with their fifth consecutive win, while last year’s runners-up Multan Sultans remain rooted to the bottom with just one victory at the halfway stage.
In the 13th match of the tournament – and the second meeting between the two sides in the double-league format – Islamabad United cruised to a seven-wicket win in a one-sided affair at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi also sit on two points each, though they have played only three and four matches, respectively. Peshawar Zalmi will next face Lahore Qalandars on April 24, while Quetta will be in action twice in three days in Lahore, against Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi on April 25 and 27, respectively.
Meanwhile, Multan Sultans will look to revive their campaign with upcoming matches against Lahore Qalandars and Quetta Gladiators in Lahore on April 26 and 29, before returning to Multan for their final three games, including two day fixtures against Karachi Kings and Quetta Gladiators.
Despite their current struggles, the Sultans can draw hope from their remarkable 2021 turnaround, when they bounced back from four losses in five matches in Karachi to win six of seven games in Abu Dhabi and claim the title.
On Wednesday, after opting to bat first on a decent surface, Multan Sultans posted a modest 168 for five. In response, United’s USA opener Andries Gous roared back to form with an unbeaten 80 to seal the win with three wickets and 17 balls to spare.
Gous’ 45-ball knock featured six fours and five sixes. He added 81 runs for the second wicket with Colin Munro (48 balls) and 55 runs for the third wicket with Mohammad Nawaz (39 balls). Gous reached his half-century off 29 balls, striking five fours and three sixes.
Munro contributed a brisk 45 off 28 balls, laced with five fours and two sixes, while Nawaz chipped in with 21 off 19 balls, including a six and a four.
Munro’s innings ended in controversy when he was caught by Iftikhar Ahmed off Michael Bracewell. Moments earlier, he had accused Iftikhar of throwing, prompting umpire intervention. Munro’s frustration spilled over into the dressing room, where TV footage showed him tossing his gear in anger.
Earlier, Usman Khan’s aggressive 61 off 40 balls (four fours, four sixes) powered the Sultans to 168. Skipper Mohammad Rizwan scored a steady 36 off 37, while Yasir Khan’s 29 off 17 included two fours and two sixes.
Yasir dominated the 51-run opening stand with Rizwan, while Usman stole the spotlight in their 65-run second-wicket partnership off 41 balls.
Multan made a strong start with 48 for no loss in the PowerPlay and added 78 runs between overs seven and 15. However, they could only muster 42 runs in the final five overs. In contrast, United raced to 69 for one in the PowerPlay and reached 144 for two by the 15th over.
After five matches, Rizwan leads Multan’s scoring with 226 runs at a strike-rate of 147.7, while Usman has 194 runs at 160.3. Among bowlers, youngster Ubaid Shah has impressed with seven wickets, followed by Michael Bracewell (six) and both David Willey and Usama Mir with four each.
Scores in brief
HBL PSL 2025 Match 13 – Islamabad United beat Multan Sultans by seven wickets
Multan Sultans 168-5, 20 overs (Usman Khan 61, Mohammad Rizwan 36, Yasir Khan 29)
Islamabad United 171-3, 17.1 overs (Andries Gous 80 not out, Colin Munro 45, Sahibzada Farhan 22, Mohammad Nawaz 21)
Player of the match – Andries Gous (Islamabad United)
