Moeen, Tahir push Lahore to easy win over Multan

KARACHI: Spin duo of Moeen Ali and Imran Tahir helped Multan Sultans defeat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Friday evening.

Batting first, Lahore Qalandars, failed to click, managing only 138 for eight. Opener Chris Lynn was the highest scorer with 39, which he scored off 19 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes. Skipper Sohail Akhtar scored 34 off 30, with one four and three sixes.

Qalandars had a great start with Fakhar Zaman and Lynn scoring freely. Sohail Tanvir was spanked for 18 in his second over, and the 50-partnership was brought up in the fifth over. But from 59 for 1 in 5.2 overs, Qalandars tumbled to 138 for 8, well below par in front of a Lahore crowd that was watching their home franchise for the very first time.

Imran was thrust in during the business end of the powerplay when Lynn was giving the Lahore crowd a taste of his immense power-hitting ability. He squeezed Qalandars for runs and forced them into low-percentage shots. Mohammad Hafeez fell to him this way, before Dane Vilas dragged a flatter one onto his stumps.

Imran got for two for 21 in his four overs, while Moeen grabbed two for 13 in two overs. Mohammad Ilyas got two for 16 in two overs.

Multan Sultans sauntered to the target off the first ball of the 17th over. Skipper Shan Masood scored 38 off 29 balls, striking four fours and one six. Shaheen Afridi provided Lahore Qalandars an explosive start. His perfect yorker to castle James Vince was the ball of the day, but Rilee Rossouw guided the chase steadily, scoring 32 off 28, with two fours and a six.

Shahid Afridi finished the job for Multan, striking 21 off 12 balls, with two fours and a six.

Imran was declared man of the match.