Sultans post nail-biting win over champions Islamabad United in low-scoring PSL tie

Dubai - Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi guided Sultans to victory after they were in a spot of bother, needing 14 runs from the last two overs

Multan Sultans pulled off a nervy chase in a low-scoring game against defending champions Islamabad United to notch their first win in the fourth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Saturday night.
Chasing a modest target of 126, Multan Sultans were in a spot of bother and needed 14 runs from the last two overs.
But the Sultans could count on the experience of two veterans - captain Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi - to take them home by five wickets at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The duo were involved in an unbroken stand of 25 for the sixth wicket that calmed the team's nerves.
Islamabad United went in with the same line-up that played against Lahore Qalandars in the tournament opener on Thursday night, while Multan Sultans made two changes from the team that lost to the Karachi Kings.
Johnson Charles and Ali Shafiq came in for Tom Moores and Mohammad Ilyas.
Islamabad United spluttered to a total of 125 for 7, one that was well below par to challenge Multan Sultans.
Opener Luke Ronchi, their batting hero and one of starts of the PSL played a lone hand of 51 from 33 deliveries with five sixes and one boundary.
But his 21st half-century was the only positive in an otherwise horrendous batting display by the defending champions.
The lower order of Faheem Ashraf and Samit Patel shored up the innings and give them something to fight with after they were in disarray 76-6 and then 96-7 with a little less than four overs to play out.
Debutant Shafiq impressed with two for 11 with his medium pace, while Junaid Khan also took two wickets.
The chase got interesting with the Sultans three down for 43 after opener Charles edged pacer Waqas Maqsood to 'keeper Ronchi, opener Shan Masood was run out by Shadab Khan and dangerman Laurie Evans became leg spinner Shadab's victim.
And Sultans' innings almost mirrored that off Islamabad United as they tumbled to 101 for five with Andre Russell back as well.
It got tense at the end with 14 required from 12 deliveries but Malik, who remained unbeaten on 31 from 29 balls with two boundaries, and former Pakistan all-rounder Afridi took them past the line.
james@khaleejtimes.com

Brief scores: Islamabad United: (Luke Ronchi 51, Faheem Ashraf 20 not out, Samit Patel 20 not out, Shadab Khan 15, Ali Shafiq 2-11, Shahid Afridi 2-18, Junaid Khan 2-33) lost to Multan Sultans: 126-5 in 18.4 overs (Shoaib Malik 31 not out, Shan Masood 26, Andre Russell 16, Shahid Afridi 16 not out, Laurie Evans, Shadab Khan 2-20) by 5 wickets. Man of the Match: Ali Shafiq (Multan Sultans).