Zeeshan shines in Multan victory over Peshawar

KARACHI: Zeeshan Ashraf and Sohail Tanvir did a fine job as Multan Sultans dented former champions Peshawar Zalmi’s semi-finals chances when they beat them by just three runs in the vital match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 here at the empty National Stadium on Friday night.

Wicket-keeper batsman Zeeshan hammered 52 off 39 balls to enable Sultans to post 154-6 in the stipulated 20 overs.

Sohail then got 3-26 in four overs to restrict Zalmi to 151-8.

Zalmi required 15 runs to win in the final over of the innings from paceman Ali Shafiq and four off the last delivery. Adil Amin (7*) failed to negotiate it and in the meanwhile Hasan Ali (1) rushed towards him for a run and got run out.

Zalmi finished the league with nine points and their fate will be decided by the outcome of other matches.

Chasing a tricky target, Zalmi, playing without any foreign player, had a disappointing start when they lost Kamran Akmal (2), bowled by left-arm pacer Mohammad Irfan.

Sohail then got rid of Wahab Riaz (3), held by Moeen Ali. The decision came through referral.

Imam-ul-Haq and Umar Amin then tried to consolidate the innings by scoring 48 runs together before the latter was bowled by Moeen Ali. Amin hammered four fours in his 23-ball 29.

Shoaib Malik then joined Imam and the two added 70 for the fourth wicket before the left-hander lost his wicket, held at short mid-off off Sohail. Imam struck four fours and two sixes in his 56.

In the next over, Ali Shafiq got rid of in-form Haider Ali (1) and Shoaib Malik (30) to bring Multan Sultans back into the game. Malik hit two sixes and one four in his 25-ball knock.

Sohail then had Hammad Azam (7) to add to the misery of Zalmi.

Ali Shafiq (2-31 in 4 overs) in the last over was seen under a lot of pressure as he bowled two waist-high no balls but made a great comeback with a fine last delivery that gifted Multans their sixth win from nine games. Sultans topped the points table with 14 points. They will play the fourth-placed side in the semi-final on March 17 in Lahore.

After being invited to bat first, Multan Sultans lost Rohail Nazir (14) early, held by keeper Kamran Akmal off Rahat Ali. He hit two fours in his run-a-ball knock.

Skipper Shan Masood (28) and Zeeshan (52) added 60 runs for the second wicket to consolidate the base. Rahat provided another breakthrough when he dismissed Zeeshan. The Okara-born wicket-keeper batsman hammered seven fours and one six in his 39-ball fifty. Rahat then had Moeen Ali (0) before young pacer Amir Khan got rid of Ravi Bopara (5), in quick succession to reduce Sultans to 103-4 in 14 overs. Hasan Ali then had the vital wicket of Shan, who hammered three fours in his slow 23-ball knock.

However, in the end Khushdil Shah struck a 20-ball 30 not out and Shahid Afridi hammered 13-ball 19 to enable Sultans to reach a defendable total. Left-handed Khushdil hit two sixes in one over of Hasan Ali.

Rahat was the prime act for Zalmi as he captured 3-24 in his quota of four overs. Hasan (1-34 in 4), Amir Khan (1-37 in 4) and Wahab Riaz (1-20 in 4) were the other successful bowlers. Shoaib Malik conceded 27 runs in three overs.

Zeeshan was declared the player of the match for his gutsy fifty.

Because of the withdrawal of five foreign players, international all-rounder Hammad Azam was included in Zalmi’s squad.

The match was supervised by Michael Gough and Rashid Riaz. Ahsan Reza served as the television umpire, Faisal Afridi as the reserve umpire and Roshan Mahanama as the match referee.