Watch: 21-year-old quick Abbas Afridi grabbed a magnificent diving caught-and-bowled chance as he took three wickets in four balls at the PSL.

Multan Sultans continued their fast start to the 2023 Pakistan Super League with a 52-run win over Islamabad United, the young Afridi starring with the ball as he took four wickets to close out the match.

Afridi was in his third over (the 17th of the innings). He was bowling to Rassie van der Dussen, then on 45. At that point, Islamabad needed another 64 with five wickets in hand. Van der Dussen took advantage of the low, leg-side full toss first up, flicking it away for four behind square.

Afridi rectified his mistake with his next delivery, bowling a slower ball outside off. Van der Dussen reached for to play towards leg again, but top-edged the ball straight up into the air for Khushdil Shah to take a comfortable catch at deep backward square.

New batter Tom Curran took a single off his first ball from Afridi to bring Faheem Ashraf on strike. Bowling round the wicket to the left-hander, Afridi took the pace off and bowled a slow, full delivery. Looking for the big shot, Faheem skied the ball high into the leg side, and both ’keeper and bowler ran for the catch.

As the ball continued to hang in the sky, Afridi signalled to Mohammad Rizwan that he would take the catch, and dove forward at full length to grab the ball.

He was quickly mobbed by his teammates for his impressive effort, during which he never taking his eyes off the ball. He followed it up with two in two, dismissing Mohammad Wasim with his next delivery. Wasim tried to pull a short ball, but Afridi once again took the pace off – finding the top edge with Rizwan taking a superb leg-side diving catch behind the stumps.

Despite being unable to complete the hat-trick, Afridi finished with the second-best bowling figures of this year’s competition to date (4-22), behind Ihsanullah’s 5-12 against Deccan Gladiators.

Watch: Abbas Afridi grabs skier for diving caught-and-bowled in three-wicket over at the PSL below

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