Karachi ki tapish bhari raat mein Mark Chapman ne wo aag ugli ki Multan Sultans ka sara garoor khaak ho gaya. Ek high-voltage match jahan 193 runs ka picha karna tha, wahan Islamabad United ne dikha diya ki unhe kyu T20 format ka baap maana jaata hai. Is jeet ke saath Islamabad United ne points table par doosra sthaan hasil kar liya hai aur ab wo seedha Qualifier mein Peshawar Zalmi se bhidenge. Wahi doosri taraf, Multan Sultans ko ab Eliminator ke mushkil raaste se guzarna hoga, jahan unka samna Hyderabad Kingsmen se hoga.
The Inner Story: Chapman ka Toofan aur Sultans ki Loose Fielding
Target chota nahi tha. 193 runs board par the aur Multan Sultans ko laga tha ki kaam ho gaya hai. Lekin Mark Chapman ke dimaag mein kuch aur hi chal raha tha. Jab Devon Conway aur Mohsin Riaz jaldi pavilion laut gaye, tab Mark Chapman ne maurcha sambhala. Unhone mahaj 33 balls mein 69 runs ki aisi innings kheli jisme 6 gagan-chumbhi chhake shamil the. Unka saath nibhaya kaptaan Shadab Khan ne, jinhone 36 runs ki samajhdaari bhari innings kheli.
Lekin asli maza tab aaya jab Multan Sultans ki fielding ne unka saath chhod diya. Mohammad Wasim ne Mark Chapman ka ek "acrobatic" catch drop kiya, aur uske baad jo hua wo Sultans ke liye kisi nightmare se kam nahi tha. Pakistan ke players aur pressure ka purana rishta hai, aur yahan bhi wahi dikha. Fielding lapses aur boundary par kharab effort ne Islamabad United ka rasta aasaan kar diya. Salman Mirza ke aakhri over mein 25 runs kharch karna Multan Sultans ke liye mehenga saabit hua, halaki unke nichle kram ke ballebaazon ne mehnat poori ki thi.
Match ka turning point tab aaya jab Multan Sultans ki middle-order collapse hui. Ek waqt par lag raha tha ki ye team 210+ score karegi, lekin 102-2 se 136-6 tak pahunchna unki purani aadat ko darshata hai. Shan Masood ne 44 runs banaye zaroor, lekin spins ke khilaaf attacking khelne ke chakkar mein wo apni wicket de baithe. Mohammad Wasim aur Arafat Minhas ne aakhri overs mein kuch bade hits lagakar score ko samman-janak banaya, par Mark Chapman ki brilliance ke aage sab pheeka pad gaya.
Analysis & Numbers
- Mark Chapman's Strike Rate: A massive 209.09 with 6 sixes and 4 fours.
- Multan Sultans Middle-order Collapse: Lost 4 wickets for just 32 runs in the middle overs.
- Last Over Drama: Mohammad Wasim scored 25 runs off Salman Mirza in the 20th over of Sultans' innings.
- Partnership of Hope: Mark Chapman and Shadab Khan added 63 crucial runs for the 4th wicket.
- Points Table Shift: Islamabad United finishes 2nd; Multan Sultans slips to 3rd.
The Guru Gyan Verdict:
Islamabad United ne dikha diya ki big matches kaise jeete jaate hain. Jab aapke pass Mark Chapman jaisa finisher ho, toh target 190 ho ya 200, sab manageable hai. Wahi Multan Sultans ne wahi kiya jo Pakistan ke players aksar karte hain: Pressure mein bikhar jaana. Captain Shan Masood ki innings achi thi but not enough. Agar PSL 2026 ke Qualifier mein jagah banani thi, toh fielding mein disciplne dikhana zaroori tha. Ab Sultans ko Lahore jana hoga aur Eliminator ki agni-pareeksha deni hogi. United is looking like the team to beat!
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