Yasir, Ubaid propel Multan Sultans to first triumph in PSL X

Yasir Khan's quickfire half-century and Ubaid Shah's outstanding bowling spell handed Multan Sultans first victory in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 10 as they defeated Lahore Qalandars by 33 runs in the tournament's 12th match played at the Multan Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

Chasing a daunting 229-run target, the visitors could only accumulate 195/9 in their allotted overs despite Sikandar Raza’s half-century.

The Qalandars got off to a decent start to the pursuit with openers Mohammad Naeem and Fakhar Zaman putting together a brisk 38-run stand.

The blazing start was soon hindered as Naeem fell victim to Michael Bracewell in the fourth over after scoring a run-a-ball 11.

Fakhar followed suit in the next over as he skied a fuller delivery by Ubaid Shah, which was brilliantly caught by Josh Little in the deep.

The opening batter scored 32 off 14 deliveries, laced with two fours and three sixes.

The Qalandars then began to lose wickets at regular intervals which halted the flow of the runs for the two-time champions.

Wicketkeeper batter Sam Billings offered some resistance in the middle phase of the innings until he was outclassed by Ubaid in the 15th over.

He scored 43 off 23 deliveries, smashing two fours and four sixes.

Experienced all-rounder Sikandar Raza played a gutsy half-century down the order but his efforts were not enough to pull off the victory for the Qalandars.

Raza remained the top-scorer for the Qalandars with an unbeaten 50 off 27 deliveries, comprised of five fours and three sixes.

Ubaid was the standout bowler for the Sultans, picking up three wickets for 37 runs in his four overs.

He was supported by Bracewell and Usama Mir, who bagged two each, while David Willey and Josh Little chipped in with one strike apiece.

Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan’s decision to bat first paid dividends as his team’s batting unit yielded 228/5 in 20 overs.

The home side got off to a blazing start to their innings as their new opening pair of Yasir and Rizwan decimated the Qalandars’ bowlers and scored 89 runs in seven overs.

Asif Afridi provided a much-needed breakthrough to the two-time champions on the first delivery of the eighth over when he bowled Rizwan around his leg. The Sultans captain scored a brisk 32 off 17 deliveries with the help of four fours and a six.

Wicketkeeper batter Usman Khan then joined set batter Yasir Khan in the middle and together they raised an important 70-run partnership before both perished in successive overs.

Usman struck five fours and a six on his way to a 24-ball 39, while Yasir top-scored with a blistering 87 off 44 deliveries, studded with six fours and as many sixes.

The 2021 champions suffered another blow in the next over when Rishad Hossain got Ashton Turner (15) caught and brought the total down to 179/4 in 15.4 overs.

Later, Iftikhar Ahmed’s brisk 40-run cameo off 18 balls at the backend bolstered Sultans’ total past the 220-run mark.

Rishad was the standout bowler for the Qalandars, taking two wickets for 45 runs in his four overs, while Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sikandar Raza and Asif Afridi, chipped in with one scalp apiece.