Josh Philippe delivered a brilliant half-century, complemented by a three-wicket haul from Momin Qamar, as Multan Sultans comfortably defeated Islamabad United by five wickets in the fourth match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 172, Multan reached 175 for five with eight balls remaining. Philippe’s commanding innings and captain Ashton Turner’s composed finish were key to the victory. The Sultans faced an early blow when their in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed in the third over with the score at 16.
Philippe then rebuilt the innings alongside Steve Smith, putting together a brisk 45-run partnership before Smith was dismissed for 31 on his PSL debut. Shortly after, Shadab Khan removed Shan Masood for six, leaving Multan at 70 for three. However, Philippe steadied the chase with a crucial 61-run stand with Turner.
The Australian wicketkeeper-batsman top-scored with 55 runs off 35 balls, including five boundaries and two sixes, before getting out in the 15th over. Emerging all-rounder Arafat Minhas accelerated the innings with a quick 25 off 11 balls. Turner remained unbeaten on 43 from 28 deliveries, steering Multan home, with Mohammad Nawaz contributing a brief but effective cameo to close the match.
Earlier, Multan’s decision to field first proved fruitful as Islamabad United posted 171 for eight in their 20 overs. United started steadily with Devon Conway scoring 26 and Sameer Minhas adding 28, but frequent wickets disrupted their momentum. Mark Chapman was the top scorer with a fluent 40 off 23 balls, while Faheem Ashraf provided a late boost with 26 runs from 17 deliveries.
Momin Qamar was the standout bowler for Multan, taking three wickets for 24 runs in three overs. Mohammad Wasim Jr supported well by claiming two wickets, while Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, and Peter Siddle each took one wicket, contributing to Islamabad’s restricted total.
