Islamabad United became the champions of Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 9, beating Multan Sultans on the last ball by two wickets in Karachi last week.

Shadab Khan-led Islamabad, adding to their title wins in 2016 and 2018, are now the most successful team in the event’s history with three titles. Islamabad also received Rs140 million as prize money, while Multan Sultans received Rs56 million.

This was the fourth consecutive final that the Multan Sultans featured in, but after the final in 2021, they lost all three finals — to Lahore Qalandars in 2022 and 2023 and Islamabad United in 2024.

Islamabad United’s captain Shadab Khan received the player of the tournament trophy, while his teammate Imad Wasim took home the Player of the Match trophy.

Peshawar Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, received the trophy for the best batsman with 569 runs, including one century and five fifties, in the tournament at the average of 56.90 and the strike rate of 142.60.

Among overseas stars, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen was the most successful batsman with 364 runs in seven appearances. He scored one century and three fifties with an average of 72.8 while his strike rate was 154.89.

Multan Sultans’ leg-spinner Usama Mir was the most successful bowler of the PSL season 9. He took 24 wickets with an average of 15.87. His best figure was 6-40 against Lahore Qalandars. Usama’s teammate fast bowler Mohammad Ali was behind him with 19 scalps, averaging 18.63.

West Indies’ spinner Akeal Hosein with 15 wickets for Quetta and England’s left-arm seamer Luke Wood 12 wickets for Peshawar were the leading wicket-takers among the overseas players.

Peshawar’s young left-handed opener Zalmi’s Saim Ayub received the trophy for the Super All-Rounder of the Tournament. During the tournament he added another feather to his cap as he became the youngest Pakistan batter to hit 100 sixes in T20 cricket. At the age of 21 years and 297 days Saim, surpassed previous record holder Haider Ali, who achieved the milestone at 22 years and 259 days, to become the fastest Pakistan batter to 100 T20 sixes.

Saim had a remarkable season with the bat and the ball. He finished as one of the leading run-scorers of the tournament with 345 runs in 11 innings at an average of 31.36 and a strike rate of 157.53. Saim hit the most sixes (21) in 11 innings.

Saim was also impressive with his bowling as a part-time off-spinner. He even brought out the carrom ball and turned the ball both ways, finishing with eight wickets.

Irfan Khan of Karachi Kings got the trophy for the best fielder. Islamabad United’s Azam Khan was recognised as the wicketkeeper of the tournament.

Peshawar Zalmi also received the trophy for the Spirit of Cricket award. Asif Ayub was handed the trophy for being the umpire of the tournament.

Multan’s Iftikhar Ahmed was in peak form in the tournament. He smashed runs at a high strike rate of 193.28, the best for anyone to bat over five times in the tournament this season.

Islamabad United’s left-arm spinner Imad Wasim etched his name into the Pakistan Super League (PSL) history book as he became the first bowler to register a five-wicket haul in the tournament’s final.

Imad had a brilliant outing for United in the thrilling final. He finished his quota of four overs with 5-23. With the allround performance in the PSL, Imad became a strong candidate for the T20 World Cup in USA and the Caribbean this year.

He also scored 126 runs in 9 matches with the help of one fifty. At least two matches against Multan and Peshawar he won when the defeat was almost on the wall.

Imad officially retired from international cricket after being dropped from the national squad. But his allround performance in the PSL will be difficult for the selectors to ignore.

Babar’s 111 not out against Islamabad was the tournament’s highest individual score. It was a great season for Multan Sultan’s prolific batsman Usman Khan who scored 430 runs with a high average of 107.50. He is the only batsman in PSL-9 who scored two centuries — against Karachi and Islamabad.

Islamabad United’s 232-7 against Multan Sultan in Rawalpindi was the highest innings total from any team.

Multan crossed the 200-run figure in the tournament thrice, Islamabad and Peshawar twice and Quetta and Lahore once. Karachi Kings’ best innings score was 179-7.

Some players who were thought to be the future of Pakistan failed to deliver. Shan Masood, Mohammad Haris and Azam Khan are among them.

Shan Masood, skipper of Karachi Kings, failed to lead his team from the front as Karachi finished fifth in the league matches. Shan scored only 158 runs in 10 matches, averaging just 15.8. He failed to score a single fifty in the tournament. His best score was 36.

Islamabad United’s hard hitting middle-order batsman Azam Khan is another batsman whose performance was not upto the mark. He scored 226 runs in 12 games. In 10 innings he scored only one fifty. His average was 25.11.

Peshawar Zalmi’s batsman Mohammad Haris who is one of the national team middle order contenders also failed to impress. He managed only 142 runs in 10 matches at an average of 15.77 with a high score of 40.

Lahore Qalandar’s opener Fakhar Zaman also failed to impress as he managed only 157 runs in 8 games with an average of 19.62.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to host a five-match T20 international series against New Zealand in April this year for the preparation of the T20 World Cup.

The Pakistan team, after the Pakistan Super League, will be involved in T20 matches against Afghanistan, New Zealand and England ahead of the World Cup in June in the USA and the West Indies.

For the preparation of the T20 World Cup the PCB management must give rest to some senior players against New Zealand and give chances to players who performed in the PSL-9.

khurrams87@yahoo.com