Multan Sultans defeated Islamabad United by five wickets in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 match at Gaddafi Stadium, chasing 172 runs with eight balls remaining on Saturday.
Josh Philippe scored 55 runs while Ashton Turner remained unbeaten on 43 as Sultans completed the chase in 18.4 overs with controlled batting effort overall.
Sultans Chase
Multan Sultans lost opener Sahibzada Farhan early before Philippe and Steven Smith added 45 runs for second wicket to stabilise their innings during the initial phase.
The Australian batting great scored 31 runs before dismissal by Salman Irshad, while Shadab Khan removed Shan Masood soon after as Sultans slipped to 70 for three then.
Philippe then shared a 61 run partnership with Turner, maintaining the momentum until his dismissal in the 15th over after anchoring innings with aggressive strokeplay.
Arafat Minhas contributed a quick 25 runs from 11 balls, providing late acceleration before falling in 18th over when only 10 runs were required for victory in.
Islamabad United Innings
The three-times champions posted 171 for eight after Mark Chapman top scored with 40 runs, supported by contributions from Steven Smith, Sameer Minhas and others players.
Devon Conway scored 26 while Sameer Minhas made 28, but regular wickets disrupted partnerships as United reached a competitive total without significant late acceleration overall.
Bowling Performance
Momin Qamar led Multan Sultans bowling with three wickets for 24 runs, while Mohammad Wasim Jr claimed two wickets and other bowlers took one each during.
Multan Sultans completed the chase at 175 for five, securing victory in opening match of the season against Islamabad United in Lahore on Saturday evening.
