Islamabad United (193/6) edge past Multan Sultans (192/7) by four wickets to seal a qualifier clash with Peshawar Zalmi

[Ball Blazer]

United, Sultans eye crucial top-two finish in PSL 11 clash

Islamabad United and Multan Sultans are set to face off in a high-stakes encounter in Match 40 of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 at the National Stadium in Karachi on Sunday, with both sides aiming to secure a top-two finish ahead of the playoffs.

With the league stage reaching its business end, the playoff lineup has already been confirmed, featuring Peshawar Zalmi, Hyderabad Kingsmen, Islamabad United, and Multan Sultans. However, this fixture carries significant importance as the winner will clinch second place in the standings and earn a spot in the Qualifier against Zalmi — a position that offers a direct route to the final or a second chance via the Eliminator.

Multan Sultans currently sit second on the table with 12 points from nine matches, while Islamabad United are close behind with 11 points, boasting a superior net run rate. The Sultans also hold a psychological edge, having defeated United by five wickets in their previous meeting this season.

Both teams head into the contest with mixed recent form, reflecting the tightly contested nature of this year’s competition. With momentum, positioning, and a strategic advantage in the playoffs at stake, neither side is expected to hold back despite already securing qualification.

The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM local time, although the toss is expected to be slightly delayed due to the post-match presentation of the earlier fixture in the double-header. As the race intensifies, all eyes will be on Karachi for what promises to be a thrilling contest between two of the tournament’s strongest sides.

Squads:

Multan Sultans Squad: Awais Zafar, Steven Smith, Josh Philippe(w), Shan Masood, Ashton Turner(c), Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Peter Siddle, Momin Qamar, Sahibzada Farhan, Faisal Akram, Muhammad Ismail, Tabraiz Shamsi, Delano Potgieter, Lachlan Shaw, Muhammad Shahzad, Atizaz Habib Khan, Shehzad Gul, Arshad Iqbal

Islamabad United Squad: Devon Conway, Sameer Minhas, Andries Gous(w), Mark Chapman, Shadab Khan(c), Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Imad Wasim, Salman Mirza, Richard Gleeson, Salman Irshad, Dipendra Singh Airee, Shamar Joseph, Chris Green, Sameen Gul, Mohammad Hasnain, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohsin Riaz, Mohammad Faiq, Hamza Sajjad

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[Ball Blazer]

Islamabad United won the toss and elected to bowl first

 

[Ball Blazer]

Multan Sultans XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Ashton Turner (capt), Shan Masood, Josh Philippe (wk), Arafat Nawaz, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, Peter Siddle, Muhammad Waseem Jnr, Muhammad Ismail, Faisal Akram

Islamabad United XI: Devon Conway (wk), Sameer Minhas, Mohsin Riaz, Shadab Khan (capt), Mark Chapman, Haider Ali, Faheem Ashraf, Chris Green, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain, Salman Irshad

 

[khyberlion]

Shadab fielding is rubbish too now.

 

[Justcrazy]

Multan 122 . 4

36 balls to go.

 

[Justcrazy]

Sultan needs to get going here , we are in the business end , need big hits

 

[Justcrazy]

O U T

Shan Masood gone , Multan sink further.

 

[Justcrazy]

Multan keep losing wickets.

 

[Justcrazy]

Arafat Minhas looking to break the shackles here with big blows, Multans need a strong finish here.

 

[khyberlion]

Arafat Minhas should be a regular in limited overs.

 

[Justcrazy]

158 . 6

12 balls to go , should be targeting 25 more runs at least

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Poor captaincy by Shadab not to bowl his full quota. IU pace attack without Gleeson looks toothless

 

[khyberlion]

Salman Mirza is pure garbage only made it due to Lahore qalandar quota.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Arafat Minhas should be a regular in limited overs.

Good spot. He has totally made Nawaz irrelevant.

In my opinion, Saad Masood, Minhas, & Maaz have replaced Agha, Nawaz, & Saim from the T20 team. Ali Raza has also replaced Rauf as they have similar speed & weaknesses.

Sameer is also super talented batter and there's no domestic cricket anymore so he needs to be in the setup or there should be a 4 months long camp for the talent.

 

[khyberlion]

Good spot. He has totally made Nawaz irrelevant.

In my opinion, Saad Masood, Minhas, & Maaz have replaced Agha, Nawaz, & Saim from the T20 team. Ali Raza has also replaced Rauf as they have similar speed & weaknesses.

Sameer is also super talented batter and there's no domestic cricket anymore so he needs to be in the setup or there should be a 4 months long camp for the talent.

Want to see more of Mohsin Raiz looked decent in his first outing. There is definitely talent there in young players, unfortunately that transfering into anything substantial will always remain a problem in our pathetic set up.

Agha and Nawaz have no place in the team. I haven't given up on Saim yet, but he needs a break from t20s.

Sameer seems comfortably the most talented of our batters. I just hope he becomes a great batsmen. I had high hopes from Babar who has disappointed and Saim too in t20s.

We need to arrange more A tours against proper teams in order for these guys to develop.

 

[Justcrazy]

M. Wasim 29 from 9 balls. Very strong finish.


193 is the target.

 

[Justcrazy]

O U T

Multan gets early wicket

 

[Justcrazy]

This game can be a thriller .

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Want to see more of Mohsin Raiz looked decent in his first outing. There is definitely talent there in young players, unfortunately that transfering into anything substantial will always remain a problem in our pathetic set up.

Agha and Nawaz have no place in the team. I haven't given up on Saim yet, but he needs a break from t20s.

Sameer seems comfortably the most talented of our batters. I just hope he becomes a great batsmen. I had high hopes from Babar who has disappointed and Saim too in t20s.

We need to arrange more A tours against proper teams in order for these guys to develop.

Saw a bit of Mohsin and he looks like a clean hitter. Lets see if he can replicate his stroke play against proper bowlers. Saim should not be playing T20 cricket at this moment. Maybe in South Africa or Australia we can try him but not on these wickets. He should focus on ODI and Test cricket.

 

[khyberlion]

Saw a bit of Mohsin and he looks like a clean hitter. Lets see if he can replicate his stroke play against proper bowlers. Saim should not be playing T20 cricket at this moment. Maybe in South Africa or Australia we can try him but not on these wickets. He should focus on ODI and Test cricket.

Mohsin seems a dud against pace and short ball atm.

 

[khyberlion]

Saw a bit of Mohsin and he looks like a clean hitter. Lets see if he can replicate his stroke play against proper bowlers. Saim should not be playing T20 cricket at this moment. Maybe in South Africa or Australia we can try him but not on these wickets. He should focus on ODI and Test cricket.

Saim shouldn't have been dropped from odis or tests.

 

[PakFan2010]

Is Steve Smith not playing play-offs?

 

[khyberlion]

Wasim jnr a other over hyped useless bowler.

 

[PakFan2010]

Pakistani fielding is letting down Sultans.

Siddle is furious.

 

[khyberlion]

Pakistani fielding is letting down Sultans.

Siddle is furious.

20 year olds moving like uncles.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Is Steve Smith not playing play-offs?

Why?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

IU v Zalmi should be interesting because they haven't played each other in the tournament so far.

 

[khyberlion]

Faisal Akram what a pathetic fielder. Can't bowl or bat either. Wasim jnr being useless as usual too.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Pakistani fielding is letting down Sultans.

Siddle is furious.

There's a reason why players like Faisal Akram will never become good at international level. They may be ok in their primary skills but other than that they are an absolute liability. Cannot bat, cannot field, cannot read the match situation.

 

[Katwalindian]

IU v Zalmi should be interesting because they haven't played each other in the tournament so far.

Two best sides....but I feel hhk might win the trophy....... I got this feeling when they win their first match.....

 

[Kianig89]

Good playoffs it will be
So it's Babar Shadab Turner & Labu , the skippers competing to lift that

Surely the Aussies have an edge in this regard and Gillespie winning that title will be 2 tight slaps to Aaqib

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Two best sides....but I feel hhk might win the trophy....... I got this feeling when they win their first match.....

They've gotten further than they should have. Personally I don't see them making it past this.

 

[Chuggy]

They've gotten further than they should have. Personally I don't see them making it past this.

Toss decides it all if they end up fielding first I don't see HHK losing to IU

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Toss decides it all if they end up fielding first I don't see HHK losing to IU

HK will have to beat Multan first

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Mark Chapman smashed an unbeaten 69 off 33 balls to steer Islamabad United to a four-wicket victory over Multan Sultans, chasing down 193 with eight balls remaining in the 40th and final league game of the Pakistan Super League Season 11 at National Bank Stadium on Sunday.

The win lifted Islamabad United to second place with 13 points from 10 matches, earning them a Qualifier clash against table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi. The winner will progress directly to the 3 May final, while the loser will get another chance in Eliminator 2 on 1 May. Multan Sultans, who finished third with 12 points, will face Hyderabad Kingsmen in Eliminator 1 on 29 April in Lahore.

Chasing 193, Islamabad United suffered an early setback when Sameer Minhas fell in the second over, edging Mohammad Ismail to sweeper cover where his brother Arafat Minhas completed the catch in a unique sibling moment. Devon Conway and Mohsin Riaz then rebuilt the innings with a 31-run stand. Conway made a brisk 18 off 15 balls, striking four boundaries, before edging Muhammad Imran to a diving Steve Smith at mid-off.

Mohsin contributed 25 off 17 balls with five fours before falling to Faisal Akram, leaving United at 72-3 in 7.3 overs. Shadab Khan and Chapman then took control with a crucial 63-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Dropped on zero by Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Chapman made Multan pay, hammering boundaries at will and bringing up a rapid half-century off just 26 balls.

Shadab scored 36 off 28 balls with five fours before holing out to Smith at long-on. Haider Ali added a quick 13 off five balls, including two sixes, while Faheem Ashraf chipped in with 11 off nine. Despite a couple of late wickets, Chapman remained unfazed, launching a series of sixes—including a towering hit off Ashton Turner—and finishing the match with consecutive boundaries off Wasim Jnr to seal the chase in style. He ended unbeaten with four fours and six sixes.

Earlier, Multan Sultans posted 192/7 after opting to bat first, thanks to a strong start from Sahibzada Farhan and Smith, who added 60 runs in the powerplay. Both were dismissed in quick succession—Smith for 30 off 19 balls and Farhan for 30 off 18—triggering a middle-order slowdown.

Josh Philippe scored 11 before adding 42 with Shan Masood, who top-scored with 44 off 33 balls, hitting two fours and three sixes. Late fireworks came from Arafat Minhas (31 off 19) and Wasim Jnr, who put together a 56-run stand in just 23 balls. Arafat struck three sixes before being run out in the final over, while Wasim Jnr remained unbeaten on 26 off nine balls, powering Multan to a competitive total.

 

[Cricket Warrior]