Multan Sultans PSL 2019 Squad

Shoaib Malik (C), Shan Masood, Umar Siddiq, Mohammad Junaid, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Irfan Khan, Shahid Afridi, Joe Denly,
Nicholas Pooran, Qais Ahmed, Shakeel Ansar, Laurie Evans, Numan Ali, Dan Christian, Tome Moores, Ali Shafiq, Muhammad Ilyas, Andre Russell

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

Shahid Afridi has picked 10 wickets in the ongoing PSL season so far

Shahid Afridi, Man of the Match says: The conditions suited the spinners. I want to give credit to Babar, Denly and Ingram for posting such a match winning score. I try to keep things simple in T20Is and try for variations sometimes. When you win against good teams, your team morale gets a boost.

Joe Denly outspoken performance against Multan Sultans

Imad Wasim, winning captain: We needed that victory because we were under pressure after last two games. I think batting first is the go-to in this tournament. Credit goes to Azam, Denly and Ingram. (Ingram) is a very good batsman of spin and he bats at number 3 or 4. The bowling performance was fantastic after that start between Shehzad and Sangakkara. You want to win for your franchise and such things happen in cricket (exchange of words between Mohammad Amir and Ahmed Shehzad). Overall, happy with the team effort.

Denly, Azam star in Karachi's big win

Karachi Kings beat Multan Sultans and move onto the number second spot in the points table. It was a clinical performance by the Kings today - with the bat as well as the ball. Having posted their highest ever total in PSL history, they managed to put the Sultans on the back foot at the halfway stage itself. Sanga and Shehzad got the newcomers in PSL off to a good start but after that opening stand, there was nothing to cheer about. Shahid Afridi bowled a gem of a spell and choked the opposition with his brilliant figures of 4-1-18-3. If not the bat, he'll win you matches with the ball - such a match winner.

Shahid Afridi with his third wicket in three overs

11.2 overs Afridi to Shoaib Malik, out Bowled!! Boom boom and boom. Will this wicket lead to a collapse? Might be. That's the third bowled dismissal by Shahid Afridi. Malik comes down the wicket and swings hard but fails to make contact to this straighter delivery. The ball takes down the leg-stump and up go Lala's arms - his patent celebration. Shoaib Malik b Afridi 6(8)

13.6 overs Afridi to Tanvir, 1 run, 3/18 after 4 - those are Afridi's figures. This man is a game changer, be it with the bat or with the ball. Coming back to the last delivery off his spell, it was bowled on leg and Tanvir easily tucked that to deep square leg

19-year-old Saif Badar deserved a better send-off

9.5 overs Afridi to Saif Badar, out Bowled!! Look at that reaction from Afridi. He shows the way to the dressing room. Clearly he didn't like being carted for a four and six. Quicker delivery on the stumps, Badar went for the late cut, the shot wasn't on because there was absolutely no room, ended up chopping it back onto the sticks. Saif Badar b Afridi 13(11) [4s-1 6s-1]

Denly and Babar Azam drive Karachi Kings to the highest total

That's a commendable batting effort by Karachi Kings, quite similar to Islamabad United's batting effort yesterday. On the back of Joe Denly's brilliant knock of 78, Karachi Kings have managed to post a massive score. Later it was the opener's partnership alongside Babar Azam that laid the foundation for the Kings. Colin Ingram's blitzkrieg of 29*(8) that included 4 massive sixes was the icing on the cake. Apart from Mohammad Irfan, none of the Multan bowlers were spared today. Chasing 189 especially against a bowling unit that consists of bowlers like Amir, Afridi and Imad wouldn't be easy at all. We'll be right back with the run chase.

Well made solid fifty from Babar Azam

18.3 overs Viljoen to Babar Azam, out Caught by Shehzad!! Sharp catch by Shehzad in the deep. Takes it nicely and loses balance but manages to stay away from the boundary cushions. Short of a length around off, Azam pulls it hard but Shehzad near the mid-wicket fence does an even better job. An excellent piece of fielding brings an end to Azam's fireworks. Babar Azam c Shehzad b Viljoen 58(39) [4s-6 6s-1]

Denly's strong 50 run knock sets up Karachi solid start

9.3 overs Tahir to Denly, 1 run, fifty off 33 balls from Denly. Very full and on the stumps, Denly drives it to long-on. Karachi have scored 65 thus far and 50 have come from Denly

9.2 overs Tahir to Denly, FOUR, that's excellent timing from Denly. Full toss on the leg stump, Denly whips it away with his wrists and beat deep mid-wicket's dive to the left

9.1 overs Tahir to Denly, FOUR, way too short and Denly pulls powerfully through mid-wicket for four. Quickly rocked back and punished that ball

Shaheen Afridi leads Qalandars wrap up Multan to 114

Shaheen Afridi, Man of the Match(DUH!): "We had always planned that if the ball reversed then I would bowl wicket-to-wicket. It was certainly swinging. I discuss with the seniors about what innovation I can bring to my game and how I can improve upon my skills. I met Aaquib bhai (Aaquib Javed) just a year ago and he said that I will get extra bounce, so I thought of bouncing the batsmen out. During the hat-trick ball, I was trying the good length, not the yorker, so that I could get an edge through to the keeper."

Finally smile on Fawad Rana's Face

Brendon McCullum, Lahore Qalandars captain: "I walked up first, just by instinct (laughs). Really proud of the boys. It's been hard throughout the tournament. You can keep saying the same things, but ultimately you have to put up a good performance. Really proud that we could put up such a performance tonight. Even if we would've lost, I am proud of the way our boys have played today. About Afridi, he was outstanding, and he has been working with the support staff, discussing the length that he should be bowling. There was the temptation to use him earlier, but the job that the guys did set it up nicely for him to utilize the reverse-swing at the death. The wicket was slow when we were batting. We did a good job to restrict them to 115, but it was going to be a tough chase. The guys were good with the bat in hand and quite calm too, so it's good for us to get on the board."

Lahore Qalandars' nightmare streak is over

Wow, what a rollercoaster ride! Who'dda thunk it? After a blazing start by Sangakkara, the Sultans found themselves at 92/1. And then the collapse started, triggered by a flurry of wickets, as 17-year-old Shaheen Afridi drove the batting line-up into a wall. No wonder he did, he's not old enough to procure a license yet! 3.4-1-4-5, unreal figures for the teenager. The Qalandars got to a blazing start in pursuit of 115, but after a few wickets, and with Sadaf and Baz finding every part of their bats but the middle, the Qalandars took it really deep. After slugs and swipes and wild heaves, a straight-driven four took the Qalandars home for the first time since last season and, incredibly, they've done it against the table-toppers Multan Sultans. Shaheen Afridi is almost certainly the Man of the Match so don't hold your breath...