[WATCH] Islamabad United players take victory lap with Palestine flags after PSL 2024 win
Islamabad United players were seen walking around the stadium with Palestine flags to show solidarity after their victory against Multan Sultans in the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) on Monday, March 18, at the National Stadium in Karachi.
During the victory lap after their win, Pakistani players were seen celebrating with the Palestine flags in their hands to show support towards the community amid the ongoing Gaza Strip conflict. Islamabad skipper Shadab Khan led the pack, with Hunain Shah, Imad Wasim and others joining him.
The players' inclusion of the Palestinian flag in their celebrations resonated with supporters and viewers, highlighting the importance of using sports to promote social and humanitarian issues while expressing solidarity.
You can watch the players with the Palestinian flags below:
During the post-match press conference, one of the reporters questioned Shadab about the gesture and its importance.
“It was very important. This was an idea that we arrived at mutually, and we did that as we got the opportunity. We will try to do whatever we can from our end,” Shadab said.
Islamabad United clinch their third PSL title
The summit clash of the ninth season of the Pakistan Super League saw Islamabad United going up against Mohammad Rizwan-led Multan Sultans. In what turned out to be a closely contested affair, Shadab Khan & Co. lifted the trophy for a record-extending third time.
Batting first, Multan Sultans posted a total of 159/9 in their 20-over quota. While the majority of batters proved to leave a mark in the game, an early run-a-ball 26 from skipper Rizwan followed by Usman Khan's 40-ball 57 and Iftikhar Ahmed’s 32* (20) helped the side reach a defendable score.
Imad Wasim was the pick of the bowlers for the United as he picked up a five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5/23. Skipper Shadab Khan picked the remaining three wickets that fell in the first innings to finish with 3/32 in his four-over spell.
Islamabad lost a couple of wickets in the powerplay as Khushdil Shah sent top-order batters Colin Munro and Agha Salman back to the pavilion. Opener Martin Guptil kept losing partners at the other end but stood strong and anchored the innings with a well-composed 50.
The game went down the wire as Islamabad required eight to win off the final over. The equation came down to one off the last two deliveries but a wicket on the penultimate ball added pressure on Islamabad.
Though the scores were leveled, Islamabad needed one run to win off the final delivery. Hunain Shah hit the ball towards the fence to finish off the chase with a boundary and take his side to their third title win.