Rawalpindiz vs Islamabad United, 12th Match, Pakistan Super League 2026 - Commentary

The Pindiz were on one of the new teams added to the PSL roster for 2026 but they have had no beginner's luck going for them. United though started slow, they had a defeat, then had a game washed out but have pulled off two wins in a row. They might well be the team to watch out for thanks to Sameer Minhas and his exploits at the top of the order. PSL is picking up pace and more intriguing contests are on the way. That's it from this game. We will be back tomorrow with more action.

Shadab Khan | Islamabad United skipper: It was a complete performance [after a comprehensive team win]. I think the way our bowlers executed really worked in our favour - especially Gleeson’s spell, and the start provided by Maddie (Imad), along with Faheem’s contribution, gave us a cushion with the ball so we didn’t have to go too hard later. The bowling unit deserves a lot of credit, particularly Gleeson. Winning the toss helped, but execution was the key, and our bowling combinations - in terms of variety and pace - are shaping up really well. In the last couple of matches too, we’ve been strong till around the 16th over, though we still need improvement in the death overs. Overall, this was a crucial win for us. With the bat, consistency from me and Sameer has helped, and that’s why we promoted the middle order - someone like Haider wasn’t getting enough time in the middle, and with limited practice during a tournament, it’s important to back players who can win you key moments and give them match exposure. Facing pressure situations repeatedly helps you grow as a batter. As for Mark Chapman, he really enjoys playing in Pakistan and against Pakistani bowlers, so that was also a factor in backing him. (Translated from Urdu).

Mohammad Rizwan | Rawalpindiz skipper: Losing three out of three is obviously tough to digest - no team likes losing [team currently on a losing streak]. The key learning is that things have been a bit different this time; in the last two matches, our batting clicked, but today our powerplay didn’t go as planned. Credit to the opposition as well, but more than just the powerplay, I think the real damage was done early when they got swing and picked up wickets - we were probably 20–30 runs short right there. Overall, it’s about gradually fixing things; three games have gone by, and it’s not easy to point out one issue because when you cover one area, problems can arise elsewhere. What we really need is one win - that can change momentum and things start falling into place. We will keep working on our mistakes, like in the previous games where our depth was helping us, but today we had to adjust differently. At this stage, it’s about showing courage and bouncing back - that’s what champion teams do. We do have experienced players in the dugout, and while we’ve made changes in every game based on the opposition, injuries to key players [like Naseem Shah and Zaman Khan] have affected our balance. That said, we’re not using that as an excuse - the changes are tactical, based on the opposition, and we will keep adapting as we move forward. (Translated from Urdu).

Sameer Minhas | Player of the Match: It was a simple plan - execute well in the powerplay and build partnerships [talking about approach]. Partnerships are very important, no matter how small the target, because they give you a lot of comfort and help you make use of the depth in the batting order. When you build a partnership, it automatically puts pressure on the opposition, so our idea was to play the powerplay well and put them under pressure early. Of course, at this level, it’s about skill, but this being my first opportunity in professional cricket, there’s actually no pressure - the management has shown a lot of trust and kept me completely free of it. I’m just trying to keep things simple and play my natural game. (Translated from Urdu).

22:52 Local Time: This has been a fine performance for the United side. They have done this chase off in a hurry. The target never looked threatening and Minhas came out all guns blazing. He made a mockery of the chase and that helped them chase it down inside 15 overs. Conway again looked a little rusty but managed to get his team off to a good start alongside Minhas. They lost a couple of wickets in the middle period. But they always were under control. Towards the end, Chapman came in and ensured the chase was done with 34 balls to spare. The United side with this win move to second on the table. The Pindiz have succumbed to their third loss on the bounce.