Tag: Lahore Qalandars vs Multan Sultans

LAHORE: In the final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7, the home side Lahore Qalandars will face the defending champions Multan Sultans, to seek glory here at Gaddafi Stadium.

The two top sides at the end of the PSL 7 group stage – Qalandars and Sultans will be locking horns in the final of the mega event. The Qalandars eye first PSL 7 title victory, while the Sultans are all set to defend their title.

For the Sultans, their skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood will play a key role as the defending champions rely heavily on their opening stand.

The Sultans’ middle-order has also been put to the test numerous times in the marquee event and it also has the firepower to turn the game on its head. Rilee Rossouw, Khusdhil Shah, and Aamer Azmat are in great touch.

Tim David’s return has also strengthened the side as he is currently leading the six-hitting chart in this year’s PSL.

In the bowling department, the defending champions are laced with the sheer pace; having David Willey and Shahnawaz Dahani in their line-up, while Rumman Raees can deceive the batters with his amazing variations. Khushdil Shah, on the other hand, has turned out to be a trump card for Sultans with his bowling abilities.

[totalpoll id=”236893″]

The Qalandars will be backing themselves quite heavily despite their defeat against the Sultans in the qualifier as the home side has found the lost momentum with their stunning victory over Islamabad United in the second eliminator.

Fakhar Zaman, who has been the player to rely on has been silent in his previous outings. Whereas, the home side will want him to chip in on the big stage to steer the Qalandars to the PSL triumph.

Apart from Fakhar, young Abdullah Shafique can play a vital role for the Qalandars as the young right-handed batter played a sensational knock in his last outing against the United.

The South-African all-rounder can also play a major role in his side’s success with his brilliant all-round performance as the 36-years-old is firing both with the bat and ball.

The bowling department, which is considered as the strength of the Qalandars, laced with the skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan, Samit Patel, David Wiese, and Mohammad Hafeez can post a major threat to the Sultans’ comprehensive batting unit.

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches-12, Multan Sultans-7, Lahore Qalandars-5

LAHORE: The defending champions Multan Sultans carried their astonishing form to beat Lahore Qalandars by 28 runs in the qualifier of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7 and stormed into the final of the mega event.

Multan Sultans’ pacers Shahnawaz Dahani and David Willey triggered a match-defining collapse, causing the Qalandars to slip from 102-3 to 109-6 in the span of an over.

Qalandars’ lower-order then had no answers to the Sultans’ bowling attack and as a result, were restricted to 135-9 in the allotted 20 overs.

Qalandars’ in-form batter Fakhar Zaman and the top scorer also fell prey to the collapse and made his way back to the pavilion after Willey trapped him in legs for 63. The PSL 7 top-scorer faced only 45 deliveries in the course of his innings and smacked four sixes and two boundaries.

The rest of the Qalandars batters could not contribute significantly in the big match and only Kamran Ghulam followed back Fakhar with his 20.

For Sultans, Dahani bagged three wickets, while Willey claimed two. Rumman Raees, Asif Afridi, and Khushdil Shah, on the other hand, struck out a batter each.

After being put in to bat first, the Sultans finished at 163-2 in the allotted 20 overs, thanks to the fifties from Mohammad Rizwan and Rilee Rossouw.

Sultans, after starting off poorly; losing their in-form opener Shan Masood cheaply for two, bounced back and went on to post a commendable total in the PSL 7 qualifier.

With the side stranded at 3-1, Aamer Azmat joined Rizwan at the crease and recorded an important 47-runs partnership for the second wicket to anchor the innings. Azmat, who was looking solid could not keep going for long as Samit Patel got him stumped in the seventh over.

The young right-handed batter scored a quick 33 off 22 balls; smashing five boundaries. Following his departure, Rossouw and Rizwan then ran into an unbeaten 113-runs partnership.

The pair remained a touch too slow in the beginning, however, accelerated later in the innings. Rizwan scored 53 off 51 balls with the help of three boundaries, while Rossouw top-scored with 65 off 42 balls; smacking seven boundaries and a six.

For the Qalandars, Mohammad Hafeez and Patel made one scalp each.

LAHORE: Lahore Qalandars have won the toss and decided to field first against Multan Sultans in the qualifier of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7, here at Gaddafi Stadium.

PLAYING XIs

Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafiq, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hafeez, Harry Brook, Samit Patel, Phil Salt, David Wiese, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan

Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c), Shan Masood, Aamer Azmat, Rilee Rossouw, Khushdil Shah, Johnson Charles, David Willey, Asif Afridi, Rumman Raees, Imran Tahir, Shahnawaz Dahani

HEAD TO HEAD

Matches-11, Multan Sultans-6, Lahore Qalandars-5

LAHORE: In the qualifier of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7, the defending champions Multan Sultans will lock horns with the second-ranked Lahore Qalandars to secure a final berth of the mega event, here at Gaddafi Stadium.

With the PSL 7 entering its final stages as the marquee event enters the play-off stage. The top two teams Sultans and Qalandars will be looking to seal a final spot with a victory in the qualifier.

The defeat, however, will not result in the elimination from the tournament as the losing side would still have the opportunity to face the winner of the first eliminator on February 25 under the lights of Gaddafi Stadium.

Sultans, who enjoyed a formidable run in this year’s PSL so far; winning nine out of their 10 matches in the group matches. With their astonishing run, the defending champions became just the first PSL team to win nine matches in the group stages.

The Sultans, who have played exceptionally well in the tournament so far, rely heavily on their skipper Mohammad Rizwan and his opening partner Shan Masood. The opening pair are among the top scorers of the marquee event and will be a major asset for the team.

In the bowling department, the side has the services of the veteran leg-spinner, Imran Tahir, Khushdil Shah, Rumman Raees and the young sensation Shahnawaz Dahani. Whereas, Asif Afridi and David Willey can also be lethal.

[totalpoll id=”236805″]

The Qalandars, on the other hand, also had a cherished tournament so far as the side finished the points table as second despite a super over defeat from Peshawar Zalmi in their last outing.

In the group stage, the home side managed to win six out of their 10 matches and it is worth noticing that the Qalandars are the only side who managed to beat Sultans, whereas the rest of the sides lost both their matches against the defending champions.

Just like the Sultans, the Qalandars too, heavily rely on their top order and Fakhar Zaman in particular as the left-handed batter has scored 521 runs with a stunning average of 52.1, including six fifties and a century.

Apart from Fakhar, the veteran Mohammad Hafeez has also gained his lost form in their last fixture against Zalmi and may score crucial runs for his side.

The side also possesses the firepower in the bowling department having the likes of Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Zaman Khan. Whereas, Fawad Ahmed, who joined the squad in place of Rashid Khan, also chipped in with two wickets in his first PSL 7 match.

LAHORE: Fakhar Zaman starred with the bat before Lahore Qalandars’ bowlers wreaked havoc over Multan Sultans’ batters to end the latter’s unbeaten run in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 7.

In the 17th match of the PSL 7, the Qalandars pulled off a convincing 52-runs victory over the Sultans; handing them their first defeat of the mega event.

Set to chase 183, the Sultans’ openers failed to go deep as their top-scorer – Shan Masood walked back early in the third over. The left-handed batter could only score eight off seven deliveries.

The skipper – Mohammad Rizwan, alongside Sohaib Maqsood, then looked to anchor the innings. The pair appeared determined before Rashid Khan castled Rizwan for 20.

Soon after, the table-toppers kept losing wickets at a consistent rate as their batters kept walking back to the pavilion after scoring cheaply. Khushdil Shah and Tim David, however, looked to fight back but they too could not manage to pull the side out of trouble and the Sultans, in the end, were bowled out for 130 in the allotted 20 overs.

Khushdil scored 22, while David scored a quickfire 24 off just 12 balls, laced with three boundaries and a six.

For the Qalandars, Zaman Khan starred; taking three wickets, while Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, and Rashid picked two wickets each.

Despite having an unwanted start – losing their first wicket for a mere five runs in the first over. The side managed to post a commendable 182-4 in the first innings.

The top-scorer of the ongoing PSL 7 – Fakhar anchored the innings alongside Kamran Ghulam; putting on a brilliant 86-runs partnership for the second wicket.

The pair appeared solid but, Kamran perished in the 12th over as he miscued one of Abbas Afridi’s delivery to hand an easy catch to Shahnawaz Dahani. The right-handed batter scored 42 off 38 deliveries; smoking six boundaries.

Fakhar, on the other hand, stood firm and went on to smash another half-century. The left-handed opener was breathing fire before falling short to Imran Tahir in the 15th over. He top-scored with a quick 60 off 37 deliveries, laced with five boundaries and two sixes.

Following his departure, the veteran batter – Hafeez and the English batter – Salt, provided a late onslaught to the home side and posted a magnificent 60-runs partnership before Hafeez departed in the final over. He scored an astonishing 43 off 29 balls; including a boundary and three sixes.

Salt, on the other hand, remained unbeaten with his 26 as the side finished at 182-4 in the allotted overs.

For Sultans, Abbas, Imran, Dahani, and Anwar Ali struck out a batter each.