LAHORE: Multan Sultans were left heartbroken as Lahore Qalandars outclassed them by 42 runs in the final to clinch their maiden HBL Pakistan Super League crown at the Gaddafi Cricket Stadium in Lahore on Sunday.
After being set a target of 181, Multan’s run chase was going according to plan with their in-form duo of Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood finding runs with ease.
Things changed in the 4th over when Mohammad Hafeez bowled out Rizwan around the legs as wheels began to come off the Multan innings. Rizwan’s departure opened up the floodgates as the defending champions kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, soon finding themselves 63 for 5.
DREAM COMES TRUE!#DamaDamMast #MainHoonQalandar #Dilse #QHPC #LevlHai #LQvMS pic.twitter.com/mEgH8ULdqi
— Lahore Qalandars (@lahoreqalandars) February 27, 2022
This was when Tim David and Khushdil Shah showed some resistance and formed a 51-run partnership but after David disappeared in Shaheen’s second spell starting in the 17th over, all hope was lost. In the end, Multan were skittled out for 138 as Lahore emerged the new champions.
Earlier, cameos from David Wiese and Harry Brook after Mohammad Hafeez’s anchoring innings led Qalandars to 180-5 in the first innings against Multan Sultans.
After opting to bat first, the Qalandars finished at 180-5 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the late on-slaught by Wiese and Brooks. The pair fired all the cylinders and bolstered the side to a commendable total in the final of the mega event.
The home side was off to a poor start; losing three wickets for a mere 25 runs as Abdullah Shafique and Zeeshan Ashraf, alongside the in-form batter Fakhar Zaman perished after scoring cheaply.
The veteran batter – Hafeez then anchored the innings with his gritty knock and put on a valuable 54-runs partnership with Kamran Ghulam. Just when the pair appeared comfortable at the crease Kamran made his way back to the pavilion after attempting to sail the ball over the bowler’s head.
Kamran managed to score 15 off 20 balls, while Hafeez kept going and went on to score a magnificent half-century. He, however, departed in the 18th over after attempting to accelerate the proceedings. He top-scored with 69 off just 46 balls; smashing nine boundaries and a six.
Following his departure, the cameos from Brook and Wiese turned the game on his head as the pair contributed a handy 43 runs on the last 16 balls. Wiese scored a quickfire 28 off just eight balls with the help of a boundary and three sixes, while Brook scored an unbeaten 41 off a mere 22 balls; smoking two boundaries and three sixes.
For the Sultans, Asif Afridi bagged three wickets, while Shahnawaz Dahani and David Willey struck out a batter each.
