Rawalpindiz halted an ugly slide that had already cost them eight straight defeats by picking up a crucial victory over Islamabad United, one of the teams sitting among the higher-ranked sides. After Islamabad were pushed into trouble early, Rawalpindiz chased down the target with time to spare, sealing the win by 6 wickets and preventing any “one-more-loss” scenario from turning into another winless stretch.
Key takeaways
- Rawalpindiz ended their run of eight consecutive defeats with a six-wicket triumph over Islamabad United.
- Islamabad were reduced to 30/3 by the seventh over, with Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah and Saad Masood leading the early damage.
- Daryl Mitchell struck twice in quick succession, removing Devon Conway and then Mark Chapman as Islamabad slipped to 79/5.
- Islamabad were eventually bowled out for 137 in 20 overs after Chris Green’s late over, despite him smashing 18 runs off Mitchell.
- Rawalpindiz reached the chase comfortably, finishing at 140/4 in 18.1 overs, with Mohammad Rizwan top-scoring on 45.
Islamabad collapse after a bright start
Islamabad United’s innings never really found stability. Rawalpindiz made an immediate statement, with Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah and Saad Masood combining to dent the batting early and bring the score to 30/3 by the seventh over.
Devon Conway and Mark Chapman tried to stitch together a steadier phase in the middle, but Daryl Mitchell ended that momentum by dismissing Conway in the 12th over. Chapman then fell in the 13th, caught in Asif Afridi’s spell, and Islamabad were suddenly in a steep position at 79/5.
The slide accelerated rapidly. The total moved from 79/5 to 99/7 by the 17th over, leaving Islamabad with very little room to rebuild. Chris Green then targeted Mitchell in the 18th over, striking 18 runs, but the celebration did not last long as Amir completed a standout spell by bowling out the chase with figures of 2/21.
Despite nine runs coming off the 20th over, Islamabad United were dismissed for only 137. The end of the innings would have felt painfully familiar for Rawalpindiz fans, considering the team had been staring at the possibility of yet another defeat.
Rawalpindiz chase takes control in the Powerplay
Rawalpindiz’s response began with a harsh early blow: opener Abdullah Fazal fell on the very first ball of the chase. However, Mohammad Rizwan and Kamran Ghulam quickly put the innings back on track, using the Powerplay effectively and taking the score to 49/1 in six overs.
The boundary count kept rising for both batters, with fours and sixes flowing as the chase gained momentum. The 78-run stand was broken in the 10th over when Chris Green struck, dismissing Ghulam for 42.
There was a brief wobble in the middle overs. Rizwan and Sam Billings fell in quick succession, creating a momentary scare for Rawalpindiz. Still, Daryl Mitchell ensured the pursuit didn’t spiral into another collapse. Mitchell, alongside Dian Forrester, added 41 runs off only 22 balls to finish the job in the 19th over.
Brief scores
Islamabad United 137 in 20 overs (Devon Conway 40, Chris Green 29; Mohammad Amir 2-21, Dian Forrester 2-9, Saad Masood 2-27) lost to Rawalpindiz 140/4 in 18.1 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 45, Kamran Ghulam 42, Daryl Mitchell 32*) by 6 wickets
