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.

Islamabad United qualify for the playoffs

Islamabad turn table-toppers. And in the process now have ensured that Quetta too have made their way to the play-offs along with them. Pollard with his blitz did make it interesting in the middle, keeping the interest lit, but in a tournament that's filled with low scorers, 185 was always going to be a long shot. Surely when Multan stumbled in the powerplay, surely when nobody could stick around for long, surely when the bowling attack as potent as United's. Multan now bank on luck, they've exhausted their quota of games, and with only nine points now need to hope for Peshawar to lose (at least) a game, Lahore to stage upsets or for Karachi to stumble, and stumble badly. 

Pollard single-handedly keeping sultans in the hunt

17.4 overs Sami to Pollard, out Caught by Hales!! And that's the game. Surely. The show's over guys. Sami continues playing around with Pollard's ego, giving it to him on the pads and packing up the leg-side boundary. He flicks, can't get it up, can't keep it down and picks out deep mid-wicket. Take nothing away from what's perhaps been the knock of this PSL. Pollard c Hales b Sami 73(47) [4s-5 6s-6]

Ronchi, Hales and Hussain Talat power Islamabad United to 185

A good batting performance from Islamabad after being put into bat. Once again, it was Ronchi who set the tone early in the innings. The in-form New Zealander played his shots and notched up his third fifty of the competition in four matches. Hales, who is playing his first match of the tournament teed off with ease. He missed his half-ton by four runs. The troika of Hussain Talat, Asif Ali and Ashraf played their part towards the end taking Islamabad to an above-par score. Can Multan Sultans chase down this total and conform a place in the playoffs? Join us in a while to find out.

Luke Ronchi three fifties from four matches

10.5 overs Tahir to Ronchi, out Bowled!! Knocked him over and there's the customary celebratory run from Imran Tahir. The googly does the trick. Spun in from just outside off and Ronchi completely missed it trying to broom it away. Beats the inside edge and makes a mess of the stumps. This is a big wicket. Much-needed for Multan. Ronchi b Tahir 58(36) [4s-6 6s-3]

Alex Hales has joined the Islamabad United squad

Islamabad United (Playing XI): Jean-Paul Duminy, Luke Ronchi(w), Alex Hales, Amad Butt, Misbah-ul-Haq(c), Samit Patel, Hussain Talat, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Sami

Multan Sultans (Playing XI): Ahmed Shehzad, Kumar Sangakkara(w), Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik(c), Kieron Pollard, Ross Whiteley, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Irfan, Umar Gul

Multan Sultans have won the toss and have opted to field

JP Duminy's masterclass propels Islamabad United victory

JP Duminy scored a stroke-filled, unbeaten 73 off just 54 balls, followed by a superb bowling show from Islamabad United that powered them to a 26-run victory over Peshawar Zalmi, and as a result to the top of the points table. After Duminy's early onslaught and Asif Ali's late carnage (45 off 24 balls) pushed Islamabad United to 182 for 5 in 20 overs, Samit Patel led the show with the ball alongside Zafar Gohar, restricting Zalmi to 156 for 9 in 20 overs.

Zalmi needed a rear-guard effort from the tail for them to even get that close to Islamabad's total as their top and middle-order combusted in the face of pressure. Kamran Akmal and Andre Fletcher's promising start in chase was nipped in the bud by Samit, who picked three wickets on either side of the batting powerplay. The openers and Dwayne Smith were sent packing with only 53 runs on the board.

Islamabad United to top of the table

Misbah-ul-Haq, winning captain: I think overall everything is going along well. Especially the batsmen are giving us good starts and we are a decent bowling team too. At the moment everything is working well. Peshawar Zalmi have 9 or 10 right handers in their team and our left arm spinners had the advantage. Gohar is the one who turns the ball and he did well today. Having him in the team helped.

Islamabad United's fourth successive win

Islamabad United move up to the first spot in the points table with this win. There were some fireworks by the Zalmi tailenders towards the end but the match was won in the first half itself as Islamabad managed to post their highest ever total in PSL history. Zalmi openers got them off to a positive start in the run chase but once spin was introduced, Peshawar couldn't deal with it. Wickets kept falling down like nine pins and Zalmi could never recover. Samit Patel destroyed the top order and then it was Zafar Gohar who kept striking at regular intervals. Riaz and Asif had an entertaining partnership for the 9th wicket, but that came in a bit too late. This is also Islamabad United's fourth successive win in the tournament. Clearly one of the strongest contenders to lift that PSL trophy this year.

Samit Patel's four wicket haul against Peshawar Zalmi

Zalmi needed a rear-guard effort from the tail for them to even get that close to Islamabad's total as their top and middle-order combusted in the face of pressure. Kamran Akmal and Andre Fletcher's promising start in chase was nipped in the bud by Samit, who picked three wickets on either side of the batting powerplay. The openers and Dwayne Smith were sent packing with only 53 runs on the board.

After Samit's exploits early on, Gohar took over to pick three wickets of his own. He dismissed Liam Dawson and Darren Sammy for 0 and 1 respectively, before trapping Mohammad Hafeez in front of the stumps for 13 - only the third batter among the top seven to make a double-digit score.

JP Duminy and Asif Ali steer Islamabad United to 182

Highest score ever for Islamabad United in the history of PSL. For the first few overs, things seemed to be heading at a snail's pace, but once the spinners came on, Duminy upped the ante. Ronchi, Hussain Talat and Asif Ali all had their own share of fun while complementing Duminy and that helped the united to shoot up a score of some substance. It will take some doing to peg this down from the Zalmi.  

That was chiefly down to Duminy's essay that included six fours and four sixes. After Luke Ronchi fell early, a 61-run stand between Duminy and Hussain Talat ensued. Islamabad reached the 100-run mark by the 13th over, but there was a slight stutter. But Asif Ali's 24-ball 45 - including two fours, four sixes.

JP Duminy fifty leads Islamabad United strong start

14.2 oversLiam Dawson to Duminy, SIX, what a way to get to your fifty! He is having fun against the spinners. Crouches to one knee and launches it clean over cow cornerThat was chiefly down to Duminy's essay that included six fours and four sixes. After Luke Ronchi fell early, a 61-run stand between Duminy and Hussain Talat ensued. Islamabad reached the 100-run mark by the 13th over, but there was a slight stutter. But Asif Ali's 24-ball 45 - including two fours, four sixes.

Back to Back Man of the Match for Luke Ronchi

Misbah: I think, good comeback in the bowling. Good start as well, the way Ronchi is playing, it has become easy for us. Shadab played well too.

BAZ: I think we bowled poorly, very disappointed. We didn't show any intensity in the field.

Luke Ronchi, Man of the Match: It's going well at the moment. Hopefully, it continues. I worked hard and I enjoy facing spinners.

Lahore became the first team to lose 8 consecutive games

Islamabad make a mockery of the target. Wraps up things with 14 balls to spare. Nothing seems to be going Lahore Qalandar's way. They become the first team to suffer eight consecutive losses in PSL. Handshakes, hi-fives and smiles in the Islamabad camp. Ronchi and Duminy provided a superb start in pursuit of 164. The latter though couldn't kick-on but Shadab Khan, who was promoted up the order made his presence felt. 84-run stand between Ronchi and Shadab took the game away from Lahore. United now surge to the second spot in the points table with this victory. Stick around for the presentations.

Luke Ronchi equals record for fastest fifty in PSL

8.5 overs Aamer Yamin to Ronchi, SIX, Ronchi equals the record for fastest fifty in this year's PSL. Off just 22 balls. And reaches there in style. Stood tall, waited for the ball to arrive and steamrolled it over long-off. Flat six! Raise of the bat and the United camp applauds the effort

Brendon McCullum's cameo powers Lahore Qalandars to 163

A cameo from captain McCullum and an excellent hand at the top of the order from Devcich has given the Qalandars a competitive score. They were actually looking for a bigger score, but Ramdin came and put the brakes. Even the well-set Devcich struggled to time the ball during that partnership. At one point, there was no boundaries scored for 46 balls, but Baz upped the ante to get the total past 160. 40 runs came off the last 3 overs. Faheem Ashraf was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets. The pitch is good to bat on. Should be an interesting chase. Can Lahore finally record a win this season?