PSL Final: Lahore Qalandars win the final against Multan Sultans

LAHORE: Former Pakistan allrounder Mohammad Hafeez starred in Lahore Qalandars’ 42-run final victory over Multan Sultans to claim the Pakistan Super League trophy for the first time on Sunday in Lahore.

After winning the toss and batting in front of a 30,000-strong Gaddafi stadium, the 41-year-old produced a valiant 46-ball 69 to help Qalandars to 180-5.

The reigning champions were subsequently bowled for 138 in 19.3 overs, thanks to Hafeez’s wickets of in-form opener Mohammad Rizwan (14) and Aamer Azmat (six).

Qalandars, once the league’s perpetual wooden-spoon team (placing last in the first four editions before reaching the final in 2020), has now completed the set of champions. The league has now been won by all six teams.

Last year’s champions were Islamabad United in 2016 and 2018, Peshawar Zalmi in 2017, Quetta Gladiators in 2018, Karachi Kings in 2020, and Sultans in 2021.

Qalandars had gotten rid of the productive rival opening combination and believed they could win when Shan Masood was run out for 19 by a direct throw from Fakhar Zaman.

Tim David (27) and Khushdil Shah (32) gave the champions hope at 63-5, but Shaheen Shah Afridi of Qalandar secured the victory with wickets of David and David Willey (nought) to end with 3-30.

With 20 wickets, Shaheen was the league’s leading wicket-taker.

The champions receive a glistening trophy and a prize pool of $500,000, while the Sultans earn a prize pool of $200,000 as runners-up.

Earlier in the innings, Hafeez hit nine boundaries and a six to help Qalandars recover from a 25-3 deficit with a 54-run fourth-wicket stand with Kamran Ghulam (15) and a 58-run third-wicket stand with Harry Brook, who blasted a blazing 22-ball 41 not out.

Brook hit three sixes and two fours in the final five overs, with David Wiese assisting with an eight-ball 28 not out that included three sixes and a boundary.

Other clubs that qualified for the play-offs were Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi, while Kings and Gladiators were eliminated in the first round.

For the latest Sports News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest Sports News on oldsite.bolnews.com