Notts Outlaws pair Alex Hales and Samit Patel helped move Islamabad United to the top of the Pakistan Super League with a 33-run victory over the Multan Sultans.
Hales, who has joined the United cause following the conclusion of England’s ODI series in New Zealand, scored a 33-ball 46 batting at number three.
He hit five fours and two sixes in tandem with Luke Ronchi (58) and then Hussain Talat (36) as Islamabad piled up 185-4.
Patel, who finished with 2-11 from two overs, then dismissed Kumar Sangakkara and Saif Badar inside the first five balls, the former holing out to Hales.
From 2-2, Multan were always struggling and the margin of defeat would have been much wider but for Kieron Pollard’s 73 off 47 balls batting at number six.
Islamabad are guaranteed a place in the knock-out stages, while the Sultans’ place in the last four remains in the balance.
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Meanwhile, England began their preparations for the Test segment of the New Zealand tour with a day in the field, with Stuart Broad and Mark Wood taking two wickets apiece and James Anderson adding four of his own as a New Zealand XI managed 376 with the bat.
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