Islamabad United in 2017
| 2017 season | |||
| Coach |
 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Captain |
 | ||
| PSL 2017 | Eliminator | ||
| Most runs |
 | ||
| Most wickets |
| ||
| |||
The Islamabad United is a franchise cricket team that represents Islamabad in the Pakistan Super League. They are one of the five teams that had a competition in the 2017 Pakistan Super League. The team was captained by Misbah ul Haq, but they got eliminated in the eliminator, after winning four matches from their eight matches in the PSL 2017.
Squad
In the 2017 Pakistan Super League players draft United retained 17 players from their previous squad. The team picked Ben Duckett, Zohaib Khan and Shadab Khan to complete their 20 men squad.[1] Later Steven Finn replaced Andre Russell after he was banned for a year for doping breach.[2] Ben Duckett was replaced by Nicolas Pooran after Duckett left the squad before the start of play-offs due to national duties.[3]
| Name | Nat. | Batting Style | Bowling Style | Joined | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batsmen | ||||||
| Left-hand | Right-arm leg spin | 2016 | |||
| Misbah-ul-Haq | | Right-hand | — | 2016 | Captain | |
| Right-hand | Right-arm off Spin | 2016 | |||
| Hussain Talat | | Left-hand | Right arm medium | 2016 | ||
| Rafatullah Mohmand | |
Right-hand | Slow left-arm orthodox | 2017 | ||
| Ben Duckett |  | Left-hand | Right-arm offbreak | 2017 | Overseas | |
| Asif Ali | | Right-hand | Right-arm Medium-Fast | 2016 | ||
| All-Rounders | ||||||
| Shane Watson | | Right-hand | Right arm fast medium | 2016 | First overseas player picked in PSL[4] | |
| Shadab Khan | | Right-hand | Right-arm Leg-break | 2017 | ||
| Imran Khalid | | Left-hand | Left arm orthodox spin | 2016 | ||
| Dwayne Smith | | Right-hand | Right-arm Medium | 2016 | Overseas | |
| Zohaib Khan | | Right-hand | Slow Left-arm Orthodox | 2017 | ||
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||
| Sam Billings | | Right-hand | — | 2016 | Overseas | |
| Nicolas Pooran | | Left-hand | — | 2017 |
Overseas | |
| Brad Haddin | | Right-hand | — | 2016 | Overseas | |
| Bowlers | ||||||
| Saeed Ajmal | | Right-hand | Right arm off Spin | 2016 | ||
| Mohammad Irfan | | Right-hand | Left arm fast | 2016 | ||
| Mohammad Sami | | Right-hand | Right arm fast | 2016 | ||
| Samuel Badree | | Right-hand | Right arm leg spin | 2016 | Overseas | |
| Amad Butt | | Right-hand | Right arm fast | 2016 | ||
| Steven Finn | | Right-hand | Right arm Fast | 2017 | Overseas | |
| Rumman Raees | | Right-hand | Left arm medium fast | 2016 | ||
Pakistan super League
Islamabad United played the inaugural game of the 2017 season against Peshawar Zalmi, which they managed to win by 7 wickets and thus continuing their winning streak from last season.[5] In the following game, however, they lost to Lahore Qalandars by 6 wickets after posting 158 on the board. Misbah top-scored for United through his unbeaten innings of 61 off 36 balls that included 5 sixes.[6]
As the tournament shifted to Sharjah, United continued to rebuild their campaign by handing Quetta Gladiators their first loss of the season. Chasing 149, they managed to do so at a loss of 5 wickets with 5-balls to spare. Sam Billings was the top-scorer with his aggressive knock of 78 from 50 balls.[7] But in the following game against table-bottoms, Karachi Kings, United lost by 8-runs through the Duckworth-Lewis method. This came about after they posted 90 runs in their allotted 13 overs in a rain-marred game that was abandoned after 9.4 overs in the second innings.[8] However, continuing on, United won a thrilling last-ball win against Peshawar Zalmi. Dwayne Smith was instrumental in his team's chase of 137 runs as he scored 72 off 59 balls after United's bowlers had earlier restricted the opposition to a below-par score.[9] Following this victory, however, the team lost to Lahore Qalandars by 1 wicket in a tense game. Batting first, United had difficulties in building their innings and were at one time 83-6. But the team's emerging player, Shadab Khan, scored 42 off 24 balls to get United to a respectable total of 145 which almost proved match-winning.[10]
With the tournament moving back to Dubai, United registered a thrilling win against Quetta Gladiators. After putting up a total of 166, the team was staring at almost certain defeat after the Gladiators were 148 for the loss of just one wicket at the 16th over. However, after a flurry of wickets and the inability of the opposition batsmen to finish the game, United prevailed by 1 run. This win also ensured the team of a play-off spot.[11]
Season standings
Islamabad United finished fourth in the points table of 2017 Pakistan Super League.
| Team | P | W | L | T | NR | Pts | NRR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | +0.309 | ||||
 |
8 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | +0.166 | ||||
 |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.098 | ||||
 |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.139 | ||||
 |
8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.223 | ||||
- As of 26 February 2017
- Source: CricInfo[12]
- The top 4 teams qualified for the playoffs
- Advanced to Qualifier 1
- Advanced to Eliminator
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.thenewstribe.com/2016/10/20/psl-2017-islamabad-united-final-squad-psl-second-edition/ The News Tribe], 2016-10-20. Retrieved 2016-10-20.
- ↑ http://www.dawn.com/news/1312048/steven-finn-to-replace-andre-russell-in-islamabad-united-squad
- ↑ "Pooran replaces Ben Duckett ahead of play-offs". (Green team 92). Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ↑ "PSL T20 2016 draft". Cricket Country. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
- ↑ "Haddin, Smith fifties key in Islamabad win". ESPN Cricinfo.
- ↑ "Elliott, Roy star in Lahore's first win". ESPN Cricinfo.
- ↑ "Blistering Billings gives Islamabad much-needed boost". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- ↑ "Babar, spinners put Karachi on board". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ↑ "Bowlers, Smith haul Islamabad to last-ball win". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ↑ "Elliott six seals nerve-wracking one-wicket win for Lahore". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
- ↑ "Islamabad secure playoff spot after late Quetta stumble". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ↑ "PSL 2017 Points table" (ESPN). Retrieved 19 February 2017.