KARACHI — It was a Thursday night to forget for Islamabad United as RawalPindiz’s bowlers put on a clinical masterclass at the National Bank Stadium, skittling the former champions out for a below-par 137 in the ninth fixture of Pakistan Super League 11.
Electing to bat, United never truly found their footing. Devon Conway and Sameer Minhas walked out looking to set the tone but found the going tough against a disciplined RawalPindiz attack that refused to offer anything comfortable in the powerplay overs.
The first significant blow arrived in the fifth over when Mohammad Amir, canny and experienced as ever, pinned Minhas on just the second delivery. The opener had scratched around for 11 balls, picking up a single boundary en route to a six-run contribution, before Amir ended the 20-run opening stand with a well-judged delivery.
Worse was to come for United before the powerplay concluded. Naseem Shah entered proceedings and wasted little time, removing Mohammad Faiq — who managed five runs off six balls — to leave Islamabad teetering at 29 for two after fewer than six overs.
The pressure intensified in the seventh when Saad Masood claimed the prized scalp of Shadab Khan without troubling the scorer meaningfully, as the United captain fell for just one. Suddenly, the batting lineup looked fragile at 30 for three, and the asking rate to post a competitive total was growing at an uncomfortable pace.
Conway, to his credit, refused to wilt. Alongside New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, the Irish opener dug in and steadied what had become a precarious innings. The pair put on 49 valuable runs and gradually nudged the total into respectability — but their partnership, and United’s best hope of a fighting total, was broken by Daryl Mitchell.
Conway departed for 40 off 33 balls, an innings that included three fours and a pair of sixes — quality strokeplay from a batter who found himself largely unsupported. Islamabad were 79 for four at that stage, still needing a miracle finish.
The slide resumed almost immediately. Asif Afridi pinned Chapman in front of the stumps for 23 off 18 balls — a handy cameo featuring a four and a six, but not enough to change the game’s complexion. Haider Ali followed cheaply for six, falling to Masood for the second time in the innings as the seamer wrapped up an effective spell with two wickets to his name.
Amir returned and added Faheem Ashraf to his tally — 11 off 12 not enough to make a dent — leaving Islamabad in survival mode at 99 for seven inside 17 overs.
Chris Green briefly flickered some hope with a cameo that pushed the total past three figures, but the innings was effectively in its dying embers by then. Green’s lively 29 off 16 balls — featuring two boundaries and two maximums — ended in frustrating fashion with a run-out in the final over, leaving tailenders to face the music.
Dian Forrester closed out proceedings with two swift wickets, sending Mohammad Hasnain packing for a first-ball duck before removing Richard Gleeson to complete the innings. Islamabad United were bowled out for 137 — a total that, against a side that had just delivered one of the competition’s more complete bowling performances, looked difficult to defend.
RawalPindiz’s bowlers had executed their plans with precision throughout, and now their batters had a clear target in front of them.
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