Islamabad United In 2017

The Islamabad United is a franchise cricket team that represents Islamabad in the Pakistan Super League. They were one of the five teams that had a competition in the 2017 Pakistan Super League. The team was captained by Misbah ul Haq and coached by Dean Jones. They lifted their maiden PSL title as well as won the inaugural season of Pakistan Super League, which makes them the defending champions in 2017. Team finished fourth after group stage fixtures, winning four matches from their eight matches in the PSL 2017.
They got eliminated in the eliminator 1 by Karachi Kings, chasing a low total.

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. Later Steven Finn replaced Andre Russell after he was banned for a year for doping breach. Ben Duckett was replaced by Nicholas Pooran after Duckett left the squad before the start of play-offs due to national duties.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.

Season standings

Islamabad United finished fourth in the points table of 2017 Pakistan Super League.

See also

*Peshawar Zalmi in 2017
*Quetta Gladiators in 2017
*Karachi Kings in 2017
*Lahore Qalandars in 2017

References

{{Islamabad United

2017 Pakistan Super League
United in 2017
2017