Islamabad United PSL 2019 Squad

Luke Ronchi (C), Sahibzada Farhan, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Faheem Ashraf, Zafar Gohar, Waqas Maqsood, Rumman Raees, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Sami, Ian Bell,
Philip Salt, Cameron Delport, Samit Patel, Muhammad Musa, Wayne Parnell, Zahir Khan, Amad Butt, Rizwan Hussain, Nasir Nawaz

PSL 2018 Top Wicket Takers

Darren Sammy: Congrats to Islamabad. They played well throughout the tournament. But, I'm proud of the guys. Coaching staff - the coolest I've worked with. (Talking about owner) He treated everyone like a family. We had a good run, unfortunate that Islamabad stopped us. We had a few emerging guys. Asif came in late to replace Hasan. Really proud of him. Itbtisam - has a bright future. The strength of our team - we play as a team and never give up. Obviously I wasn't 100 percent. Today was the best I felt. Thanks to the medical team. Now, I have a few months off. I want to thank the people of Pakistan. They've been brilliant. Looking forward to play more here.

PSL 2018 Top Run Scorers

Luke Ronchi: I have an amazing bat. I have a clear mind. I just try and go out the way I bat. Every one in our team backs each other. Farhan is such a clean hitter of the cricket ball. See the ball and hit the ball. If it comes off, well and good. The quality of the left arm bowlers here is amazing. Some young batters are coming up the ranks. It is sort of a first franchise win for me as well.

PSL 2018 Fairplay award: Islamabad United

PSL 2018 Fairplay award: Islamabad United The eventual winners Islamabad United were given the fair play award for playing within the spirits of the game throughout the tournament. They were led by the veteran Misbah and then by JP Duminy in the later stages as they handled the team really well.

PSL 2018 Safe Hands of the tournament: Kumar Sangakkara

PSL 2018 Safe Hands of the tournament: Kumar Sangakkara Kumar Sangakkara of Multan Sultans took the most number of catches in the PSL this season. His wicketkeeping skills are still superb even after giving up international and went on pluck 10 catches in as many matches in the tournament.

PSL 2018 Best Bowler of the tournament: Faheem Ashraf

PSL 2018 Best Bowler of the tournament: Faheem Ashraf: Faheem Ashraf was awarded the best bowler of the tournament who also featured for the winning team Islamabad United. He picked 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 17.22 and economy of 7.75.

PSL 2018 Best Batsman of the tournament: Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal was named the best batsman of the PSL as he is now the highest run-getter in the history of the tournament as well. He was second in the list of the leading run-scorers this year only by 10 years behind Ronchi. Akmal smashed 425 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 153.42 and average of 38.63. His consistency at the top helped Peshawar Zalmi win more matches during the course of the tournament.

PSL 2018 Player of the tournament: Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi was also the player of the tournament as he struck form at the right time opening the innings for Islamabad United. He started off with a couple of low scores but then provided his team with a great start in almost every match. Ronchi scored 435 runs in 11 outings at an amazing strike rate of 182 and an average of 43.50 as he was the leading run-scorer as well. He hit five half-centuries among which 94* was his best score.

PSL 2018 Final: Man of the Match Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi was once again the architect of the victory for Islamabad United on the night of the final. In the pursuit of the tricky 149-run target, he smashed their opponents in the powerplay itself and scored 52 off just 26 deliveries. The former Kiwi player hit 5 sixes and 4 fours during his stay in the middle. His knock helped his team to even go past the shocking collapse which followed after his wicket as they won the game easily in the end with 19 balls to spare.

Pakistan Super League 2018 in Numbers

The third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) came to an end after all the action and drama for over a month as six teams fought for the glory. Eventually, it was Islamabad United who won the tournament and undoubtedly was the best side throughout. The runners-up Peshawar Zalmi also played brilliantly as they found their mojo at the right time and were on a four-match winning streak only to be halted in the final. However, more than anything else, the action returned to Pakistan as their cricket board continued to host matches successfully in the country.

Islamabad United clinch second Pakistan Super League title

Hugs all around. Sammy, meanwhile forms a huddle and has a word or two with his team-mates. Good to see the camaraderie between the two teams. Shadab Khan and Hasan Ali engross in a friendly tussle as well. The United players are doing the victory lap. They had Misbah on their shoulders for a moment as well. Even the players of Zalmi take a stroll around the stadium and acknowledge the crowd's support. Sammy leading the way again. The chase was a roller-coaster! Wasn't it? Luke Ronchi made his intentions clear in the very first over smashing two sixes against Hasan Ali. The Kiwi and Sahibzada Farhan went after the bowlers and blasted 63 runs in five overs and brought the required rate below 6. During his innings, Ronchi became the competition's leading run-getter and notched up yet another half-ton.

Luke Ronchi gets his fifth fifty in PSL2018

3.4 overs Liam Dawson to Ronchi, SIX, fifty up in no time. Hold my head, someone please! That was short, the batsman climbed back and peaked the ball away over long-on. This man is unstoppable

Luke Ronchi destroys Hasan Ali

2.6 overs Hasan Ali to Ronchi, FOUR, it is a cyclone of boundaries! The calamity named Ronchi has hit Zalmi. That was a low full toss on the pads and the batsman whipped the ball away over square leg. One bounce, just inside the ropes, and into the fence. 35 off 13 for him!

2.5 overs Hasan Ali to Ronchi, SIX, fetch that! Overpitched delivery and the batsman muscles that over widish long-off. The knee slightly bent and then the little pause for the slower full ball to arrive. Once it did, the ball was sent on a high ball journey

Islamabad United restrict Zalmi to 148

Peshawar Zalmi finish with 148 on the board. Ramiz Raja, on air, reckons that they are around 15 runs below-par. But, the pressure of the final can get to anyone. Zalmi, after opting to bat, were jolted early in the innings. The in-form Kamran Akmal was dismissed for a cheap score by Samit Patel and at the end of the powlerplay, they were three down. the overseas players - Jordan (promoted to No 4) and Dawson steadied the ship with a fifty partnership. Shadab Khan and Hussain Talat choked their opponents by picking two wickets apiece. Wahab Riaz, who walked in at 118/8, played an important cameo scoring 28 off just 14 balls - which helped his team post a decent total. Can the Zalmi bowlers stop Ronchi? Who will handle the nerves better?

Peshawar Zalmi have won the toss and have opted to bat

Islamabad United (Playing XI): Luke Ronchi(w), Sahibzada Farhan, Chadwick Walton, Jean-Paul Duminy(c), Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Samit Patel, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Sami, Amad Butt

Peshawar Zalmi (Playing XI): Kamran Akmal(w), Andre Fletcher, Mohammad Hafeez, Saad Nasim, Darren Sammy(c), Liam Dawson, Umaid Asif, Chris Jordan, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Sameen Gul

Peshawar Zalmi have won the toss and have opted to bat

Pakistan Super League 2018 Points Table

Morgan, winning skipper: The guys really produced from ball one. We took early wickets and that pressure continued throughout. The old pro Afridi did a good job, Shinwari was impressive too. Collectively as a unit we were very impressive, building on yesterday's mistakes we recovered very well. No catch is an easy catch, the dew may make it difficult, but most of the players are international players. We need to focus on the processes, Islamabad will have some of their bigger players back and put up a performance worthy of a play-off.

Misbah, losing skipper: Credit goes to them, they played well. We could have scored 20-25 more runs; 150 would have been a fighting score here, especially with the dew. With the Sharjah pitch, with the ball skidding on, it is difficult for the spinners. You can only fire it into the stumps, bowl straight and that's all you have in your hand. The changes we made were forced. The guys had niggles and we didn't want to risk them before a big game.

Karachi Kings beat table-toppers Islamabad United

The table is set. Karachi rocket upwards, to number two in the points table - helping themselves to a back up match. And they do it with a serious thrashing. Denly started it off maximizing the powerplay, Babar and Ingram strolled home. With enough defences, singles and resisting the temptation for glory hits, they ensured they kept things professional. And simple. But it was simplified by their bowlers, especially Usman Khan. It's his consecutive match of standing out, this time though with four wickets and a win for his side as well to sweeten things. In the process, with Zalmi winning earlier in the day, Multan have been sent packing.

Top 3 fastest fifties of PSL 2018 belong to Luke Ronchi

Luke Ronchi, Man of the Match says: You want to win games of cricket and that's why you play the game; at the moment we're doing a wonderful job at that. As soon as I try slogging it over mid-wicket, I lose my shape and get into pre-meditating. I am getting a bit older and hence slower with the keeping (chuckles). Every now and then we have slip-ups but as a team are going well.

It's not a great PSL so far for Ahmed Shehzad

4.2 overs Faheem Ashraf to Shehzad, out Caught by Amad Butt!! Worrying signs. After eating up 10 balls in the powerplay, Shehzad can't capitalize on 'getting his eye in'. He throws his bat out at the width, gets more of a toe-end and it is right down to third man. One of the perils of going too hard - you just can't keep things down. Multan in tatters. Shehzad c Amad Butt b Faheem Ashraf 3(10)

Pollard heroics in vain as United regain HBL PSL top spot

Misbah, winning skipper: The effort is to try achieving the smaller targets in all departments and that's exactly what the entire team is doing. It is a game of momentum and it is important that we go all out in all the remaining games of the final stage with all our energies, because once we lose the momentum it would be difficult to gain it back. The reason why I wasn't batting a lot in the early stages of the tournament was a hamstring injury and now it is because the rest of them are batting brilliantly.