PSL 2022: Multan Sultans beat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in nail-biting clash

KARACHI: Defending champions Multan Sultans defeated Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the third nail-biting match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the National Stadium in Karachi today.

Earlier, Multan Sultans won the toss and opted to field first. Qalandars set a 207-run target for the defending champions.

Khushdil Shah's last-over heroics helped the Multan Sultans to sail a five-wicket victory against the Qalandars. The Sultan's needed 16 from six to win against the Qalandars and reach the target. And that's when Khushdil charged and punished pacer Haris Rauf.

The groundwork had already been laid by skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood as they smashed unbeaten half-centuries.

Rizwan played a captain's knock as he scored 69 off 42 balls, while Khushdil, who played sensationally with the ball, gave his side the opening wicket and also took a total of two crucial scalps — Abdullah Shafiq, and Mohammad Hafeez — after they won the toss and put Lahore to bat.

The Qalandar’s bowlers could not perform up to the mark in the early over; however, they picked up pace in the last five overtaking back-to-back wickets. Qalandars batters had handed the highest-ever 207-run target to the Sultans.

Qalandar's innings

Earlier, Fakhar Zaman's hard-hitting helped Qalandars put up an impressive score on the board in the third match of the PSL at the National Stadium in Karachi.

Shaheen had been put to bat first after losing the toss, but the decision did bear fruit, and the Qalandars were able to make their highest ever score of 206 for the loss off four wickets.

Fakhar Zaman made 76 off 35 balls, with the help of 11 fours and two sixes, while Kamran Ghulam smashed 43 off 31 balls with the help of two fours and three sixes.

The fall of wickets began in the ninth over when Khushdil Shah picked up the first and crucial wicket of Abdullah Shafiq (24), who was on a roll with his opening partner Fakhar Zaman.

Later in the 12th over, Imran Tahir took the wicket of Fakhar (76), piling up pressure on the Qalandars.

Mohammad Hafeez was the third man to go for 16 of 12 balls and the man to dismiss him was Kushdil. Meanwhile, David Willey picked up the fourth wicket of Kamran Ghulam (43) in the 18th over.

Defending champions Multan Sultans are playing their second fixture today and leading the point table with a victory against Karachi Kings.

Meanwhile, Lahore Qalandars are playing their first match of the season with Shaheen Shah Afridi as their captain.

The two sides have faced each other in nine matches in the PSL history with Sultans winning five and Qalandars claiming victories in four encounters.

The Sultans did extremely well against 2019 title-holder Karachi Kings in their opener and will be looking to carry the same momentum while going into their clash against Qalandars.

Playing XI

Multan Sultans: Shan Masood, Mohammad Rizwan (c)(wk), Sohaib Maqsood, Rilee Rossouw, Tim David, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Imran Tahir, Imran Khan Sr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Ihsanullah

Lahore Qalandars: Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Ghulam, Ben Dunk, David Wiese, Samit Patel, Rashid Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan