Lahore Qalandars on Sunday outclassed Multan Sultans by 42 runs in a fitting finale to the high-class matches in the Pakistan Super League as Qalandar cricketers secured their first-ever PSL title in seven editions.
Batting first on their home ground, Lahore piled up a stiff 181-run target and then displayed their bowling skills with skipper paceman Shaheen Shah Afridi collecting three wickets.
But Lahore had a rough start as they lost three wickets for just 25 runs on the scorecard within five overs.
Multan bowler Asif Afridi took out the in-form Fakhar Zaman with Shahnawaz Dahani taking a great catch. Asif also removed Abdullah Shafique.
It was left to seasoned Pakistani Test cricketer, Mohammad Hafeez to use all his experience and class as he steered Lahore and in partnership with Kamran Ghulam, forged an important 54-run partnership.
Known as a professor, Hafeez punished the opponent bowlers as he scored 69 runs off 46 balls with the help of nine fours and a six.
After, his dismissal Harry Brook and David Wiese registered a 43-run stand in just 2.4 overs as they went rampant against the Multan bowlers.
Wiese remained not out for 28 runs off just eight balls with three sixes, while Brook scored 41 runs off 22 balls.
In response, Multan Sultans lost their wickets one after another as they fell prey to Shaheen Afridi’s awesome attacking pace.
Hafeez started the rot in the fourth over when he bowled top-notch Muhammad Rizwan. Tim David and Khushdil Shah batted defiantly in their 51-run partnership to raise Multan hopes but once the partnership ended, there was no stopping the Lahore Qalandars from completing the rot.
