Lynn scores brisk ton to put: Lahore Qalandars in last-four stage

KARACHI: Australia’s Chris Lynn stole the show when he hammered 113 not out to enable Lahore Qalandars to set up semi-final date with Karachi Kings when they whipped Multan Sultans by nine wickets in their last league game at the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore, on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Brisbane-born Lynn hammered eight sixes and 12 fours in his 55-ball knock to enable Lahore Qalandars to achieve the 187-run target with seven balls to spare after losing just one wicket.

Earlier, powered by Khushdil Shah’s epic 70 not out, Multan Sultans set 187 for Qalandars who had to win the game to qualify for the last-four stage.

Lynn became the third batsman in this event to score a century. This was Lynn’s second century in his 184th game in this type of cricket. He made the tough chase look extremely easy with his tremendous power-hitting.

Before him Zalmi’s Kamran Akmal and Multan’s Rilee Rossouw had scored centuries. Lynn is now second on the batting chart with 284 runs, just behind Karachi Kings’ Babar Azam who stands at the summit with 313 runs.

Lynn was ably backed by Fakhar Zaman as the duo scored 100 runs for the opening stand off just 54 deliveries. Fakhar was the only batsman to get out. He scored 57, his second fifty of the event. The left-handed batsman smashed seven fours and two sixes in his quick-fire 35-ball knock.

Lynn then dominated the second wicket 91-run partnership, which came off 59 balls, with skipper Sohail Akhtar, who remained not out on 23-ball 19 with two fours.

It was a tough day for Multan Sultans’ bowlers as they were mercilessly punished by Lynn and Fakhar. Ali Shafiq remained the most expensive as he conceded 40 runs in just 2.5 overs. Bilawal Bhatti gave away 41 in three and Test seamer Junaid Khan’s four overs leaked 36. The only successful bowler was spinner Usman Qadir, who captured 1-24 in his quota of four overs.

After being invited to bat, Multan Sultans had a disastrous start when they lost their openers Moeen Ali (1) and Zeeshan Ashraf (2) in quick succession.

Skipper Shan Masood (42) and Ravi Bopara (33) revived the innings by scoring 75 for the third wicket. Shan struck five fours from 29 balls, while Bopara hammered four fours from 36 deliveries.

Young Khushdil showed his class as he smashed 29-ball 70 not out to take his side to 186-6 in 20 overs. The left-hander hammered six sixes and five fours in his superb knock. He added 74 off just 36 balls for the sixth wicket with Rohail Nazir (24), who struck two fours and one six from 17 balls.

Shaheen Afridi (2-23 in 4) and South African pacer David Wiese (2-24 in 3) bowled well. Mohammad Hafeez picked 1-22 in four overs. Lynn was declared the man of the match.

Shozab Raza and Aleem Dar supervised the match. Lahore Qalandars finished with ten points from ten outings.

Lahore Qalandars won toss

Multan Sultans

MM Ali b Shaheen Shah Afridi 1

Zeeshan c Sohail Akhtar b Hafeez 2

*Shan Masood b Wiese 42

RS Bopara c Fakhar Zaman b Wiese 33

Khushdil Shah not out 70

Asad Shafiq run out 1

Rohail Nazir b Shaheen Shah Afridi 24

Bilawal Bhatti not out 1

Extras (b 4, lb 2, nb 1, w 5) 12

Total (6 wicket, 20 Overs) 186

Did not bat: Ali Shafiq, Junaid Khan, Usman Qadir

Fall: 1-2, 2-4, 3-79, 4-90, 5-91, 6-165

Bowling: Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-23-2, Mohammad Hafeez 4-0-22-1, Dilbar Hussain 3-0-37-0, SR Patel 1-0-13-0, Haris Rauf 3-0-50-0, Raja Farzan 2-0-11-0, D Wiese 3-0-24-2

Lahore Qalandars

Fakhar st Zeeshan b Usman Qadir 57

CA Lynn not out 113

*Sohail Akhtar not out 19

Extras (w 2) 2

Total (1 wicket, 18.5 Overs) 191

Yet to bat: Mohammad Hafeez, BR Dunk , D Wiese, SR Patel, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Raja Farzan, Dilbar Hussain

Fall: 1-100

Bowling: Junaid Khan 4-0-36-0, Ali Shafiq 2.5-0-40-0, Bilawal Bhatti 3-0-41-0, MM Ali 1 0-17-0, RS Bopara 2-0-17-0, Usman Qadir 4-0-24-1, Khushdil Shah 2-0-16-0

Result: Lahore Qalandars won by 9 wickets

Man of the match: Chris Lynn (Lahore Qalandars)

Umpires: Shozab Raza and Aleem Dar (Pakistan). TV Umpire: Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan)