KARACHI — Rawalpindiz finally brought an end to their prolonged slump, snapping an eight-game losing run with a composed six-wicket win over Islamabad United at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.
Set a modest target of 138, Rawalpindiz crossed the line in the penultimate over, finishing on 138-4. The chase was anchored by captain Mohammad Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam, whose measured partnership restored order after an early setback.
The innings could hardly have started worse, with opener Abdullah Fazal dismissed off the very first delivery. From there, Rizwan and Ghulam rebuilt patiently, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries. Their partnership gathered momentum and moved past fifty, easing the pressure of the chase.
Ghulam’s fluent 42 from 30 balls — featuring five boundaries and a six — ended when Chris Green broke the stand at 78 runs. Rizwan followed soon after, departing for a steady 45 off 38 balls, leaving Rawalpindiz briefly exposed at 92-3.
Islamabad attempted to claw back into the contest through tight fielding, highlighted by Shadab Khan’s direct-hit run-out of Sam Billings. However, Daryl Mitchell and Dian Forrester kept their composure, guiding the side home without further alarms. Mitchell remained unbeaten on 32, while Forrester’s late contribution ensured a comfortable finish.
Earlier, Islamabad United struggled to build momentum after being put in to bat, eventually posting 137 all out in their 20 overs. Their innings never fully took off, with Rawalpindiz’s bowlers maintaining consistent pressure.
Openers Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas began cautiously but failed to accelerate. Mohammad Amir struck first, removing Minhas early, and Naseem Shah soon added another to leave Islamabad under pressure inside the powerplay.
The situation worsened when Saad Masood dismissed Shadab Khan cheaply, reducing United to 30-3. Conway and Mark Chapman attempted a recovery, putting together a useful partnership to stabilize the innings.
Conway looked the most assured, scoring 40 off 33 balls, but his dismissal by Mitchell halted Islamabad’s progress. Chapman followed shortly after, falling lbw to Asif Afridi.
From there, wickets fell at regular intervals. Haider Ali and Faheem Ashraf both failed to convert starts, while Amir returned to tighten the screws further with another key breakthrough.
Chris Green provided late resistance with a quick 29 off 16 balls, briefly lifting the total past 130. However, his run-out in the final over effectively ended Islamabad’s hopes of posting a competitive score.
Forrester then cleaned up the tail, striking twice in quick succession to wrap up the innings and cap a disciplined bowling performance.
Read More: RawalPindiz Restrict Islamabad to 137 in Match 34 – PSL 11
