Multan Sultans continued their winning streak by defeating Lahore Qalandars in the seventh match of the Pakistan Super League 2024 at Multan Stadium on Tuesday night.
Despite Lahore Qalandars scoring 166 runs for five, Multan Sultans successfully chased the target, reaching 170 runs for five. They won the match by five wickets with six balls to spare. Lahore Qalandars’ bowlers couldn’t defend the target, even though they got two quick wickets. Rizwan played a crucial role, scoring 82 runs in 59 balls. Iftikhar’s powerful finish with an unbeaten 34 in 11 balls secured Multan Sultans’ victory, maintaining their unbeaten record in the event.
The captain of Multan, Mohammad Rizwan, opened for his team and achieved his 61st half-century, leading the chase. However, support from the other end was limited. Lahore Qalandars’ bowlers, Zaman Khan, and Shaheen Shah Afridi, disrupted Multan’s top order. Rizwan, witnessing the fall of Dawid Malan, Reeza Hendricks, and Yasir Khan, held the innings together. The partnership with Yasir was crucial for Multan’s innings.
The match seemed to slip away, but a late contribution from David Willey (25 runs) and Iftikhar Ahmed’s unbeaten 34 turned the game around. Iftikhar’s onslaught in the 19th over, with two sixes and three fours, secured the win for Multan. Shaheen Shah and Zaman took two wickets each, while George Linde claimed one.
Despite Multan’s tight bowling, Lahore’s Rassie van der Dussen and Fakhar Zaman had a significant partnership of 94 runs for the third wicket. Dussen achieved his 33rd half-century, scoring 54 runs, while Fakhar contributed 41 runs. Sikandar Raza, Jahandad Khan, and Carlos Brathwaite made useful contributions to Lahore’s total.
Mohammad Ali, with two wickets, stood out among Multan’s bowlers, while Usama Mir and Abbas Afridi took one wicket each. Lahore Qalandars, led by Shaheen Afridi, won the toss and chose to bat. Both teams made one change each in their playing eleven.
Multan Sultans have shown consistency, balance, and solid performance with both bat and ball this season. They have been more reliable compared to Lahore Qalandars, who miss key players like Rashid Khan. Multan’s performance has been impressive, and they continue to be a strong contender in the tournament.