Shadab’s outstanding performance propels United to triumph.

Agha Salman thought his Islamabad United team was “10 runs short” at the end of the innings, but their 196/4 score proved more than useful as they won by 29 runs at Rawalpindi. It was all up to one hand from Aamer Jamal (87 off 49) that Peshawar Zalmi came so close.

Ashraf Khan (80 off 51) and Agha Salman (37 off 25) combined 65 runs for the third wicket while Islamabad, having been sent in to bat, lost their opening pair, Alex Hales and Colin Munro, to Saim Ayub extremely early, the former to a carom ball. Before being bowled out by Luke Wood in the 17th over, Shadab struck four fours and six sixes. However, he had set the stage for Jordan Cox (26*) and Azam Khan (29*) to add the last touches and lead the team to 196/4.

By the time Peshawar was 3/3 and then 18/5 inside the powerplay, the run-chase was all but over. It all began when Hales ran out Babar Aam in the opening over, and Naseem Shah returned Saim Ayub. Before Hunain Shah’s double strike in the sixth over. Mohammad Haris scooped straight to a short fine leg after an over.

However, a fierce effort by Jamal secured a comeback in the shape of a 107-run partnership with Paul Walter for the fifth wicket. But it was insufficient to surpass a target of 197 on the evening. Rumman Raees and Hunain Shah took two wickets each, while Shadab finished with three.

Islamabad went up to third place with this victory, which was also their third of the year.