Table-toppers Multan Sultans are set to take on fan-favourite Islamabad United in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9 at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi on Monday, March 18.
The first ball is expected to be bowled at 9pm, while the toss will take place at 8:30pm.
Sultans, who qualified for the fourth consecutive final after beating Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier, will be looking to win their second title. They haven’t been able to win the marquee trophy since they were crowned champions in the 2021 edition.
United, on the other hand, have made a lot of effort to make it to the final and have gained momentum in the process. After finishing third on the table, they defeated Quetta Gladiators and Peshawar Zalmi in the two eliminators to earn the coveted berth in the final. This will be two-time champions United’s first final since 2018 – when they last won the PSL title.
In the lead-up to the playoffs, Multan Sultans secured 14 points after winning seven out of their ten games. United finished with five wins, whereas their home game against Lahore Qalandars was washed out. As a result, United had 11 points, equaling with the fourth-placed Quetta Gladiators.
Multan’s Mohammad Rizwan and Usman Khan are the second and third highest run-getters of the tournament thus far, only behind Peshawar Zalmi’s Babar Azam who ended PSL 9 with 569 runs in 11 innings, including five half-centuries and one century.
Rizwan has accumulated 382 runs in as many innings, with four half-centuries. Usman, having appeared in only six games, has made 373 runs on the back of two centuries and a half-century.
Colin Munro, with 309 runs from nine games with three fifties, is the highest run-getter for Islamabad United. Islamabad’s skipper Shadab Khan has also starred with the bat and ball alike this season; in 11 games, he has produced 301 runs, including three half-centuries, and taken 11 wickets.
Leader of the Sultans’ spin attack, Usama Mir, is the current leading wicket-taker of the tournament, holding the Fazal Mahmood Cap. He has 23 scalps in 11 games, including one six-wicket haul. His current tally of 23 is the best by any spinner in one edition of PSL and is only two wickets behind Hasan Ali’s record of 25 wickets, the most by any bowler in one edition, which has not been bested since 2019.
Sultans’ right-arm pacer Mohammad Ali, playing his maiden PSL tournament, has 18 wickets in 11 games, the most by any pacer in the tournament thus far.
Naseem Shah, who made his move to Islamabad United ahead of PSL 9, has the most wickets for his team thus far. Assuming his role as the leader of Islamabad’s bowling attack, the right-arm seamer has grabbed 15 wickets in 10 games.
Comments