Multan Sultans trumped Lahore Qalandars by 84 runs in the Qualifier fixture to reach the final of the Pakistan Super League 2023 on Wednesday (March 15). The in-form Sultans pulled off another impressive all-round display to continue their dream run in the ongoing edition of the tournament.
Mohammad Rizwan won the toss and elected to bat first at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell replaced Izarulhaq Naveed in the only change for the Sultans while Tahir Baig, Shaheen Afridi, and Sikandar Raza returned to the playing XI for the Qalandars.
Rizwan and Usman pulled off a fifty-plus partnership for the opening wicket but both the batters struggled for big shots. Haris Rauf bowled out Usman in the eighth over to give Qalandars a breakthrough. Rizwan scored 33 off 29 before getting bowled out on Rashid Khan’s delivery in the 13th over.
Kieron Pollard added stability and put in a crucial 65-run partnership with Tim David for the fifth wicket. Tim scored 22* off 15 and Pollard top-scored with 57 off 34 with the help of six sixes as Multan Sultans posted a 160/5 total. Rauf proved the best bowler for Lahore Qalandars with three wickets for 34 while Rashid and Zaman Khan picked one wicket each.
Lahore Qalandars’ batters, who were bowled out on just 110 runs while chasing a 197-run target in the last game, struggled again against the Sultans’ pace attack. Cottrell gave the Sultans a sensational start with Mirza Baig and Abdullah Shafique’s valuable wickets in the third over. Anwar Ali bowled out Fakhar Zaman, the Qalandars’ leading run-getter this season, on just six runs in the fourth over to put Multan Sultans in a driving seat.
Usama Mir took two wickets and young pacer Abbas Afridi dismissed Rauf in the 15th over to bowl out Lahore Qalandars on just 76 runs in 14.3 overs. Cottrell took three wickets for 20 from his three-over spell to help Multan Sultans to reach the final of the PSL 2023.
What’s next for both teams?
Lahore Qalandars will face either of Peshawar Zalmi or Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on March 17. Multan Sultans will face another finalist in the final on March 19 at the same venue.
