Qalandars crush Multan Sultan in second eliminator

KARACHI: Lahore Qalandars set final date with Karachi Kings when they conquered Multan Sultans by 25 runs in the second eliminator of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) here at National Stadium on Sunday night. Wiese hit 21-ball 48 not out and Fakhar Zaman smashed 36-ball 46 to enable Lahore Qalandars to post a decent total of 182-6.

Wiese (3-27) and Haris Rauf (3-30) then bowled superbly to dismiss Multan Sultans for 157 with five balls to spare. Adam Lyth (50) and Zeeshan Ashraf (12) provided a rapid start to Multan Sultans, scoring 47 off just 26 balls. Haris had Zeeshan caught by stumper Ben Dunk. Zeeshan smacked one six and one four in his nine-ball knock.

Wiese dismissed Lyth after he had hit three sixes and four fours in his 29-ball knock. Lyth added 33 runs for the second wicket with captain Shan Masood. Multan were 80-2 in 8.3 overs when Lyth departed.

Dilbar Hussain had Shan (27) caught by Ben Dunk. Shan hit one four from 22 balls and Multan were 102-3 in 12 overs. Wiese sent back Ravi Bopara (1), who was caught by Dunk. Haris removed Roussouw (18) and Shahid Afridi (0) off two successive deliveries to put Lahore in the driving seat. Roussouw hit one four in his run-a-ball knock. Multan were 116-6 in the 14th over.

After Wiese clean bowled Sohail Tanvir (3), Khushdil Shah put some life into the game but Shaheen Afridi removed him and Mohammad Ilyas (9) off two successive deliveries in the penultimate over. Khushdil hit 19-ball 30 with two sixes and two fours. Dilbar (2-29) dismissed Imran Tahir (1) off the first ball of the final over to fold Multan for 157. Shaheen got 2-36 in four overs.

After being invited to bat, Lahore Qalandars were gasping at 111-5 in the 15th over. But in-form Wiese tilted the momentum of the game when he smashed 21-ball 48 not out, hitting three sixes and five fours. He added 59 off 32 balls for the sixth wicket with Samit Patel, who fell after making 16-ball 26, cracking four fours.

In the second last over, bowled by Junaid Khan (1-42), Wiese plundered 20 runs, hitting three fours and one six. He hit Sohail Tanvir (1-52) for two sixes off the last two deliveries of the innings.

Fakhar (46) and Tamim Iqbal (30) provided a rapid 46-run start to Lahore Qalandars off 29 balls before Junaid removed the Bangladeshi batsman in the fifth over. Tamim struck five fours in his 20-ball knock.

In the next over, Mohammad Ilyas (1-17) got rid of Lahore’s skipper Sohail Ahtar (5), caught at deep square-leg by Rossouw. Fakhar added 40 for the third wicket with Mohammad Hafeez. Shahid Afridi removed Hafeez, held at long of by Lyth. Hafeez scored 19 off 21 balls, hammering two fours.

Lyth (1-22) dismissed Fakhar, who hit two sixes and four fours in his 36-ball knock. Shahid Afridi clean bowled Ben Dunk (3) to leave Lahore tottering at 111-5 in the 15th over. Shahid took 2-18 in four overs. Wiese was declared the man of the match.