LAHORE: Sensible knocks by captain Shan Masood and Rilee Rossouw inspired Multan Sultans to a five-wicket victory over Lahore Qalandars in their first outing of the 5th HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night.

Set to score 139 for victory, Multan Sultans cruised to the target in 16.1 overs for the loss of five wickets, consigning the Qalandars to yet another defeat in their inaugural match at PSL. They had ended up at the bottom in all the previous four editions.

Shan Masood played a methodical innings of 38 off 29 balls, studded with four fours and one six. Shahid Afridi (21 off 12 balls) gave the innings a late flourish.

Shan stood firm after his side suffered early jolts when fellow opener James Vince (18) and one-down Moeen Ali (11) went out cheaply to Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Hafeez respectively with the total at 43 in 4.5 overs.

Shan steadied the ship with able support from Rilee Rossouw, putting together a partnership of 42 for the third wicket.

The Sultans skipper was clean bowled by paceman David Wiese in his first over with the score at 85. The side lost two quick wickets at 116 as Haris Rauf, the latest pace sensation, figured in both of them. He first ran out Zeeshan Ashraf and then ended a dogged innings by Rossouw, having him caught by Chris Lynn for 32.

Shaheen Afridi had dropped Rossouw at the boundary line on the previous delivery, conceding a six in the bargain. Rossouw’s dismissal brought in Shahid Afridi, who hammered one six and two fours to seal the Qalandars’ fate.

Shaheen Afridi (1-18), Haris Rauf (1-40) and David Wiese (1-11) were the wicket-takers for Lahore Qalandars.

Earlier, the Qalandars made a flying start after being put in to bat as openers Chris Lynn and Fakhar Zaman reeled off 59 runs in just 5.2 overs. But they lost their mojo mid-way through the innings and were restricted to a modest 138 for eight off 20 overs.

Both openers fell prey to off-spinner Moeen Ali in the sixth over. Lynn’s scintillating knock of 39 from just 19 balls came to an end when he was caught by Shan Masood. His innings was laced with three sixes and four fours.

Fakhar (19 off 14 balls) followed suit and Ben Dunk was run out cheaply in the eighth over.

Qalandars suffered more shocks as Imran Tahir took back-to-back wickets. First he accounted for the prize scalp of Mohammad Hafeez (14 off 22 balls) and then bowled Dane Vijas (19 off 14 balls). Qalandars were then struggling at 100 for five in 13.4 overs.

Emerging pacer Mohammad Ilyas compounded their agony by taking two quick wickets, reducing them to 104 for six. Sohail Akhtar, however, held his nerves when wickets were falling all around him.

He lent respectability to the total with an unbeaten knock of 34 off 30 balls, bludgeoning two sixes in the last over of the innings bowled by Sohail Tanvir.

Scoreboard

LAHORE QALANDARS:

Fakhar Zaman c Khushdil b Moeen19

C.A. Lynn c Shan b Moeen39

B.R. Dunk run out5

Mohammad Hafeez c Shan b Imran14

D.J. Vilas b Imran19

Sohail Akhtar not out34

D. Wiese b Ilyas 3

Shaheen Shah Afridi c and b Sohail 2

Haris Rauf c Afridi b Ilyas0

Usman Khan Shinwari not out0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-1, W-2)5

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 20 overs)138

FALL OF WKTS: 1-59, 2-60, 3-63, 4-89, 5-99, 6-104, 7-114, 8-123.

DID NOT BAT: Dilbar Hussain

BOWLING: Sohail Tanvir 4-0-36-1 (1w); Mohammad Irfan 4-0-24-0; Imran Tahir 4-0-21-2; Moeen Ali 2-0-13-2; Shahid Afridi 4-0-25-0; Mohammad Ilyas 2-0-16-2 (1w).

MULTAN SULTANS:

Shan Masood b Wiese38

J.M. Vince b Shaheen18

Moeen Ali run out 11

R.R. Rossouw c Lynn b Haris32

Zeeshan Ashraf run out4

Khushdil Shah not out6

Shahid Afridi not out21

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-7)12

TOTAL (for five wkts, 16.1 overs)142

FALL OF WKTS: 1-24, 2-43, 3-85, 4-103, 5-116

DID NOT BAT: Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Ilyas, Imran Tahir, Mohammad Irfan.

BOWLING: Shaheen Shah Afridi 4-0-18-1 (4w); Usman Khan Shinwari 2-0-26-0; Haris Rauf 4-0-40-1 (2w); Dilbar Hussain 2.1-0-24-1 (1w); Mohammad Hafeez 2-0-18-0; Wiese 2-0-11-1.

RESULT: Multan Sultans won by five wickets.

UMPIRES: Rashid Riaz (Pakistan) and R.E.J. Martinesz (Sri Lanka).

TV UMPIRE: Shozab Raza (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Anees (Pakistan)

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Imran Tahir.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020