Lahore beat Multan to face arch-rivals Karachi in PSL final

An all-round performance by David Wiese carried Lahore Qalandars to the final of the HBL Pakistan Super League 2020 as they defeated Multan Sultans by 25 runs in the Eliminator 2 at the National Stadium on Sunday evening.

Qalandars will face arch-rivals Karachi Kings in the final on Tuesday evening. This will be the first time these two teams will feature in the final of the tournament.

Wiese took three crucial wickets of Adam Lyth, Ravi Bopara and Sohail Tanvir as Sultans were bowled out for 157 with five balls spare in their pursuit of 183.

Sultans were provided a solid start as Lyth smashed a 29-ball 50. The 33-year-old struck four fours and three sixes as he stitched a 47-run first wicket partnership with wicketkeeper-batsman Zeeshan Ashraf (12 off nine) and 33-run stand for the second wicket with his captain Shan Masood, who scored 27 runs from 22 balls.

Lyth, in red-hot form, was stopped in his tracks by Wiese in the ninth over. The dismissal dried the flow of runs and then sparked a collapse which saw Sultans lose five wickets for just 20 runs.

Late blows by Khushdil Shah, who hit two sixes and as many fours in his 19-ball 30, instilled a ray of hope amongst the Sultans’ fans. But, his dismissal on the third ball of the penultimate over – with still 28 runs left in the run chase –made the victory certain for Qalandars.

Pace bowlers took sultans’ all 10 wickets. Wiese and Haris Rauf took three wickets each, while Dilbar Hussain and Shaheen Shah Afridi shared the other four wickets equally.

Qalandars had posted an imposing 182 for six as their batsmen made the most of the powerplay overs and the death overs after they were asked to bat by Sultans’ captain Shan.

Qalandars openers Tamim Iqbal and Fakhar Zaman stitched a 46-run partnership in 4.5 overs before left-arm pacer Junaid Khan struck in his first over to dismiss the former.

Qalandars’ Bangladesh import Tamim made 20-ball 30, in which he struck five fours.

Sohail Akhtar, the Qalandars captain, followed the left-handed opener back in the pavilion on the penultimate ball of the powerplay as he was caught off Mohammad Ilyas’ bowling at deep square leg. Qalandars accumulated 54 runs at the loss of two wickets in six overs.

Fakhar made 46 off 36, studded with four fours and two sixes.

Shahid Afridi’s immaculate leg-spin bowling tightened the screws and yielded crucial wickets of Mohammad Hafeez (19 off 21) and Ben Dunk (three off three). Shahid returned the match figures of 4-0-18-2.

Following the dismissal of Dunk, Qalandars were tottering at 111 for five in 14.2 overs. But,Wiese’s scintillating knock at death not only pulled his team out of trouble but lifted them to a daunting total.

The South African all-rounder crunched five fours and three sixes in his 21-ball 48 not out, which helped Qalandars pile 67 runs in the last five overs.

Over the course of his undefeated stay at the wicket, Wiese partnered with Samit Patel (26 off 16, four fours) for a remarkable 59-run partnership from 5.2 overs.

Scores in brief:

Lahore Qalandars beat Multan Sultans by 25 runs

Lahore Qalandars 182-6, 20 overs (David Wiese 48 not out, Fakhar Zaman 46, Tamim Iqbal 30, Samit Patel 26; Shahid Afridi 2-18)

Multan Sultans 157 all out, 19.1 overs (Adam Lyth 50, Khushdil Shah 30, Shan Masood 27; David Wiese 3-27, Haris Rauf 3-30, Dilbar Hussain 2-29, Shaheen Shah Afridi 2-36)

Player of the match – David Wiese