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So that brings us to the end of our coverage for Eliminator 2. We have a day off before the final on Monday. Islamabad United will be high on confidence but don't count out the Multan Sultans who have been the most consistent side of the tournament. Lots of cricketing action lined up tomorrow. Do join Sportskeeda tomorrow for all the latest sporting actions but for now this is me (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) bidding adieu also on behalf of my fellow commentator and good mate Rajarshi Das. Goodnight! Cheers!
Shadab Khan (Islamabad United captain): We havent played perfect game but we are still in the final. Credit goes to the players and the management. The belief was there that's why we are here. He was a bit unde pressure after dropping a catch so I didn't want to expose him. We have seven options so we covered him up. Nothing, just take it deep. We know how good players we have. On a day they have changed game before from nowhere. Just believe in yourself because in these matches the attitude comes through. If it's there, the match will go our way. Yeah because he has done so much hard work. I am very happy for Haider Ali. Initially we didn't pick him but then in supplementary. I said he will be a match winner because he was in very good touch so I said he will be our match winner. He didn't perform so much in the last year and two and got so much criticism. It is important to give them a nice atmosphere.
Imad Wasim (Player of the Match): I thought today's wicket wasn't spinning that much. My plan was to keep it simple and bowl a bit slower. I think we thought it's a 190 200 wicket. We thought we did well. Last four five overs we did really well. The wicket was so good, it was all about playing ball by ball. The innings Haider played was exceptional. We wanted Haider to go for the big shots and I take the anchor role. Mostly credit goes to Haider. The momentum is on our side but Multan is four time finalists. We have one day left. Will be doing icing and massages. We are glad to made it to the final.
Time for the post-match presentation ceremony.
Haider Ali, Islamabad United: Feeling really great that our team's in the final. We were in a tough position at 91 for 5, but Imad bhai and us had belief. Idea was to not lose further wickets and take it till the end, and that was what happened. The pressure was on me as well, but he managed it really well. He told me to play cricketing shots. Once we stayed along till the 15-16th over, we looked for boundaries more often. I took time to look at the wicket, there were overs in hand and the key was not to give back to back wickets. Had to build a partnership and we did. Credit goes to management and captain, everyone supports and has belief on each individual. We will strive to play the same way in the final.
Babar Azam, Peshawar Zalmi captain: We had a good total, were in good position after 10 overs. Weren't up to the mark with our bowling after it. Credit to Imad and Haider the way they played. Conditions were the same, we didn't execute our plans, the results were always going to be different. Ordinary bowling after the 10 overs, and the result was there to be seen. Credit to our fans the way they supported us by coming to the stadium. Everyone loved it.
It turned out to be an exceptional run chase from Islamabad United riding on superb half-centuries from Haider Ali and Imad Wasim. It was Haider who absolutely turned the game on its head with some monstrous blows and was supported beautifully by Imad Wasim. He really responded after getting hit on the grill and the partnership took them over the finish line. It was a superb start from the Peshawar Zalmi bowlers as Saim Ayub turned it on after a great time with the bat. He bagged the wickets of Alex Hales and Agha Salman in quick time to reduce them to 20/2.
Mehran Mumtaz was introduced by Babar seeing the pitch helping the spinners and he sent back Shadab Khan in his very first over. Martin Guptill turned it on in Saim Ayub's 3rd over as he smashed 22 runs including 4 fours and a six. However he couldn't quite continue the onslaught, chipping the last delivery of the powerplay straight to the mid-on fielder. Imad Wasim was joined in by Azam Khan and the duo built a good partnership. Azam looked in good touch before being castled by Luke Wood.At 91/5, Islamabad United was staring down the barrel but it was the partnership between Haider Ali and Imad Wasim which totally turned the game on its head.
Imad didn't look to play the big shots initially but found the boundaries whenever the rate was creeping up. However the game changer turned out to be the knock of Haider Ali. He took his time before absolutely smashing the Peshawar Zalmi bowlers to all for West of the park. He remained unbeaten on 52 off 29 deliveries which included a couple of fours and 5 sixes. Imad Wasim remained unbeaten on 59 off 40 deliveries which included 9 fours. For the Peshawar Zalmi, it was Saim Ayub who was the pick of the bowlers, confusing with figures of 2/34.
Islamabad United are through to the final. They seemed done and dusted after losing four wickets in the powerplay but some exceptional strokeplay from Haider Ali and the experience of Imad Wasim got them over the line. They will now meet the Multan Sultans in the final which will be a repeat of Qualifier 1.
19
overs
189/5score
0
2lb
6
1
2
4
runs
Imad Wasim*
59(40)
Haider Ali
52(29)
Luke Wood
1/38
18.6 Luke Wood to Imad Wasim, FOUR! Islamabad United will meet Multan Sultans in the final of PSL 2024! A scream of joy from Wasim as he slices this full, wide delivery past the gap at cover, throws his helmet and bat away, pumps his fists towards his dugout, and the Islamabad United camp are delirious!