Sahibzada Farhan , Jason Holder help Islamabad United to win 3 in a row

Another half-century from Sahibzada Farhan and an impressive all-round bowling performance spearheaded by Jason Holder helped Islamabad United maintain their perfect streak in PSL 2025, squeezing out Multan Sultans by 47 runs. United was selected after Sultans won the toss. Farhan, fresh off his century against Peshawar Zalmi, and the off-color Andries Gous kept quiet in the first half of the powerplay as the bowlers got off to a good start. But Farhan wouldn't be kept quiet for long, launching Michael Bracewell for 15 in the fourth over, and another 15 in the last one before the field spread out. Gous was taken out by David Willey after a miss at midwicket, but 41 played the final half of the powerplay. United began to back away from Usama Mir and Ubaid Shah. After allowing just six runs in two innings, Mir removed Farhan, who had begun to look more and more dangerous. United continued to go on the offensive, and sneaked a few big overs in, but continued to lose wickets; Shadab Khan and Azam Khan fell soon after to Chris Jordan, while the destructive Colin Munro, who had slapped 48 off 25, became the fifth to go when Ubaid beat him for bounce. But as has been a theme this tournament, the death bowling wasn't quite up to the same level in the first innings. Holder and Haider Ali took advantage of the error, with Holder tucking into Ubaid for fours and sixes to get the all-rounder going after the former took out Jordan for three boundaries in a row. 64 came off the final four overs, edging United past 200 for the second game in a row. It was part of a collective assault. Shai Hope was sent back by Naseem Shah's first over, but Sultans got off to a quick start anyway. A wayward second over from Naseem was punished for 17 while Riley Meredith's first went for 18 after Usman dismissed two slower balls over the rope. Importantly, Imad Wasim struck out to score him off the penultimate powerplay ball, but Sultans were still ahead thanks to his 20-ball 31. However, as United advanced into the innings, that was the best Sultans could hope for. As only 29 runs were scored in the subsequent five overs, Shadab and Imad applied the squeeze, and Mohammad Rizwan was bowled out when he failed to get under Shadab and was run out into the deep. With a lively partnership of 24 runs, Bracewell and Iftikhar Ahmed kept Sultans interested, but Rizwan's team was beginning to buckle under Sultan's asphyxiating pressure. Bracewell and Willey fell within four runs of each other, Holder taking a catch off Meredith's bowling before the Australian returned the favour. By this point, Holder was primarily responsible for the fall of Sultans, slicing through the lower ranks like butter with a hot knife. He would knock Mir and Mohammad Hasnain's stumps back before Iftikhar's resistance ended with a tame heave to long-off that polished off the innings for 155. It keeps Sultans searching for their first victory in a tournament in which United appears to be getting harder to beat.