Islamabad United kicked off their Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 10 campaign in style with a dominant 8-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Friday.
The match marked a strong start for Islamabad United, showcasing both their bowling depth and batting firepower.
Lahore Qalandars, batting first in the T20 clash, were restricted to just 139 runs. Abdullah Shafique was the standout performer for Lahore, scoring a brisk 66 off 38 balls. Supporting contributions came from Sikandar Raza and Daryl Mitchell with 23 and 13 runs, respectively. However, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled under the relentless pressure applied by Islamabad United’s bowlers.
Islamabad United’s bowling attack was spearheaded by Jason Holder, who delivered a match-winning spell, taking 4 wickets for just 26 runs in his four overs. Team captain Shadab Khan also made a significant impact, claiming 3 wickets for 25 runs in 3.2 overs. Imad Wasim added to the tally with a tight spell, picking up 1 wicket for 21 runs in his full quota of overs.
In response, Islamabad United chased down the 140-run target with ease, finishing at 143 for 2 in 17.4 overs. Colin Munro anchored the innings with an unbeaten 59 off 42 balls, while Salman Ali Agha supported with an equally composed unbeaten 41 off 34 balls. Sahibzada Farhan chipped in with 25 runs to set the tone for the chase.
On the bowling side for Lahore Qalandars, Asif Afridi and Haris Rauf managed to take one wicket each, but it wasn’t enough to stop Islamabad United’s momentum.
For his exceptional performance with the ball, Jason Holder was named the Player of the Match, sealing a near-perfect day for Islamabad United. With this win, Islamabad United have made a bold statement early in PSL 10 and look poised to be strong contenders in the tournament.