Islamabad United edge Quetta Gladiators to book spot in PSL playoffs

United chased down 180 with two wickets and three balls to spare thanks to a rapid half-century from Colin Munro and a flurry of late boundaries

Rawalpindi: Quetta Gladiators 179-6, Islamabad United 183-8 – Islamabad United won by two wickets

Islamabad United completed a tight two-wicket victory over Quetta Gladiators to book their spot in the PSL playoffs with three games to spare.

Chasing 180, United were well on course for victory after Colin Munro smashed 63 runs off just 29 deliveries, helping his side to 77 for 2 at the end of the powerplay and later 96 for 3 after seven overs before being removed by Mohammad Nawaz.

He was quickly followed back to the changing rooms by Mubasir Khan and Asif Ali before Faheem Ashraf and Azam Khan put on 58 runs for the seventh wicket to get the innings back on track.

Umaid Asif (3 for 37) accounted for Khan and Hassan Ali in the penultimate over to leave United nine runs shy of victory with just two wickets in hand but Ashraf didn't falter, dispatching Odean Smith for three fours in a row to wrap up the win with three balls to spare.

^{Fazalhaq Farooqi picked up three wickets for Islamabad United [Farooq Naeem/Getty Images]}

^{Najibullah Zadran scored a rapid half-century for Quetta Gladiators [Faroow Naeem/Getty Images]}

Ashraf finished unbeaten on 39 (31) while Nawaz was the pick of the Gladiators bowlers, taking 2 for 17.

Earlier, Quetta Gladiators had endured a nightmare in the powerplay, with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Ashraf each striking twice to reduce the batting side to 17 for 4.

Nawaz (52 off 44) and Najibullah Zadran (59 off 34) rebuilt their side's innings with two contrasting half-centuries. The former anchored the Gladiators while Zadran took down United's bowlers, scoring 51 runs off 29 balls during the 104-run fifth-wicket stand.

Nawaz was eventually removed by Farooqi, who finished with 3 for 25, but his departure did nothing to stop the scoreboard from ticking over.

Batting at No.7, Umar Akmal put on 33 runs off 13 deliveries with Zadran and a further 25 runs off 10 balls with Smith to help the Gladiators close on 179 for 6. He finished unbeaten on 43 off just 14 deliveries, including five sixes.