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       RAWALPINDI: Islamabad United continued their perfect run in the ongoing season of the HBL Pakistan Super League, thrashing Multan Sultans by 47 runs here at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, thanks to Jason Holder’s impressive all-round show.

       The former West Indies skipper first contributed a cameo of 32 off 14 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes, and then took 4-25 with the ball as Multan were bundled out for 155 in their pursuit of 203.

       The result meant Multan, finalists in the last three seasons, are still in search for their first victory this year. Defending champions Islamabad, meanwhile, with three wins out of three have set up a solid base for their attempt at yet another playoff spot.

       United were boosted to 202-6 by crucial contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (53 off 35, seven fours and two sixes) and Colin Munro (48 off 25, four fours and three sixes) and cameos from Haider Ali (33 off 16, three fours and two sixes) and Holder down the order.

       Farhan carried on his form to help United post 62-1 in the powerplay. He brought up his second consecutive half-century with a four off pacer Mohammad Hasnain, before leg-spinner Usama Mir ended Farhan’s stay at the crease.

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       Munro got on the act before he was sent packing by by pacer Ubaid Shah with Haider and Holder providing the late impetus.

       In response, Multan got a decent start, posting 62-2 in the powerplay, thanks to Usman Khan’s 31 off 20, and were 93-3 after 10 overs after Holder accounted for Kamran Ghulam. But the big blow came for them when Mohammad Rizwan (38) fell to United counterpart Shadab Khan.

       There wasn’t much more resistance from Multan as they lost their next five wickets for only 35 runs, with Holder taking three of them.

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       Scoreboard

       ISLAMABAD UNITED:

       Sahibzada Farhan c Iftikhar b Usama 53

       Andries Gous c Usman b Willey 9

       Colin Munro c Willey b Ubaid 48

       Shadab Khan c Ubaid b Jordan 14

       Azam Khan c Hope b Jordan 4

       Haider Ali c Bracewell b Hasnain 33

       Jason Holder not out 32

       Naseem Shah not out 1

       EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1, W-3) 8

       TOTAL (for six wickets, 20 overs) 202

       DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Shahzad, Imad Wasim, Riley Meredith

       FALL OF WICKETS: 1-45 (Gous), 2-80 (Farhan), 3-103 (Shadab), 4-128 (Azam), 5-136 (Munro), 6-185 (Haider)

       BOWLING: Willey 3-0-21-1, Bracewell 3-0-37-0, Usama 4-0-31-1, Hasnain 2-0-30-1 (1w), Ubaid 4-0-37-1, Jordan 4-0-41-2 (2w)

       MULTAN SULTANS:

       Mohammad Rizwan c Shahzad b Shadab 38

       Shai Hope c Farhan b Naseem 1

       Usman Khan c Meredith b Imad 31

       Kamran Ghulam c Munro b Holder 17

       Michael Bracewell c Holder b Meredith 16

       Iftikhar Ahmed c Holder b Shahzad 32

       David Willey c Munro b Holder 1

       Chris Jordan c Meredith b Imad 5

       Usama Mir b Holder 1

       Mohammad Hasnain b Holder 1

       Ubaid Shah not out 0

       EXTRAS (B-8, NB-3, W-2) 13

       TOTAL (all out, 18. 4 overs) 155

       FALL OF WICKETS: 1-3 (Hope), 2-62 (Usman), 3-92 (Kamran), 4-96 (Rizwan), 5-120 (Bracewell), 6-124 (Willey), 7-142 (Jordan), 8-150 (Usama), 9-150 (Hasnain)

       BOWLING: Naseem 4-0-34-1 (1nb), Meredith 3-0-35-1 (1w), Holder 4-0-25-4 (1w, 2nb), Imad 4-0-33-2, Shadab 3-0-16-1, Shahzad 1-0-1-0

       RESULT: Islamabad United won by 47 runs.

       Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2025