PSL 11 : Islamabad United Beat Rawalpindiz by Seven Wickets as Sameer Minhas Shines

By Sadia Khan :

Islamabad United cruised to a convincing seven-wicket victory over Rawalpindiz in the 12th match of the Pakistan Super League season 11 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday, powered by a rapid half-century from Sameer Minhas and a disciplined bowling display.

Chasing a target of 157, the three-time champions comfortably reached 158 for three with 34 balls remaining, maintaining control of the run chase throughout the innings.

Emerging opener Sameer Minhas led the charge with an impressive 70 from just 36 deliveries, striking seven fours and three sixes. His aggressive approach at the top of the order gave Islamabad a strong platform and ensured the required run rate remained manageable.

Mohammad Faiq contributed 19 runs before departing, while Haider Ali and Mark Chapman guided the team home with unbeaten knocks of 26 and 24 respectively.

Rawalpindiz bowlers struggled to contain the scoring, with Rishad Hossain, Jalat Khan and Mohammad Amir claiming one wicket each.

Earlier, Islamabad captain Shadab Khan opted to field first, a decision that proved effective as Rawalpindiz were restricted to 156 for seven in their allotted 20 overs.

The innings began poorly for Rawalpindiz as Richard Gleeson removed both openers, Yasir Khan and captain Mohammad Rizwan, within the first four overs with just 15 runs on the board.

Kamran Ghulam attempted to rebuild the innings after the early setbacks, forming a 51-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell, who scored 19 from 15 balls. Ghulam went on to reach his third PSL half-century in 37 deliveries, bringing up the milestone with a six off Shadab Khan.

However, his resistance ended soon after when Faheem Ashraf had him caught behind for 50 off 39 balls, an innings that included six fours and two sixes.

Rawalpindiz struggled to build momentum after his departure, losing wickets at regular intervals despite useful contributions from Abdullah Fazal and Dian Forrester, who scored 23 and an unbeaten 44 respectively.

Islamabad’s bowling attack shared the wickets, with Salman Irshad, Richard Gleeson and Faheem Ashraf taking two each, while Imad Wasim claimed one as the team restricted their opponents to a modest total.

The victory strengthened Islamabad United’s position in the tournament, while Rawalpindiz were left searching for consistency after another defeat.

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