LAHORE: Fast bowler Hunain Shah’s sensational last over against three-time champion Islamabad United earned Hyderabad Kingsmen a thrilling two-run win and a place in the Pakistan Super League final on Friday.
Islamabad needed a run a ball in the final over of the playoff, but Shah kept his nerve by executing yorkers and conceded only three runs to strand Islamabad at 184-7.
Usman Khan’s 61 not out, his third successive half-century, lifted Hyderabad to 186-5 with support from Kusal Perera’s quickfire 37 off 21 balls.
Islamabad’s Chris Green (21) and Faheem Ashraf (19) brought down the target to six when the pair smashed pace bowler Mohammad Ali for 22 runs in the penultimate over.
But Shah conceded just one run from his first three deliveries. Ashraf then holed out to mid-off and Shan bowled two more yorkers to Imad Wasim and Green to deny Islamabad a victory.
“I don’t have words to describe what we’ve done today,” Hyderabad captain Marnus Labuschagne said. “It looked like we were going to win relatively comfortably and then all of a sudden it looked like it’s over (but) Hunain Shah stepped in and goes for, what, three in the last over to win the game … I’ve got goosebumps just talking about it.”
Hyderabad lost four games in a row at the beginning of its debut season, but in a remarkable turnaround the new franchise won seven of its last eight games, including two must-win playoffs against Multan Sultans and Islamabad.
Hyderabad will take on the Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi in the final on Sunday.
