ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Super League (PSL) defending champions Lahore Qalandars hit 200 for 6 after winning the toss and deciding to bat against Multan Sultans as the much-awaited final game of the tournament kicked off at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Saturday.
Abdullah Shafique scored 65 off 40 deliveries after Mirza Tahir Baig (30) lost his wicket in the fifth over. Qalandars lost Fakhar Zaman (39) in the twelfth over when their score was 95.
While the next few batters found it difficult to stay at the crease, skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi displayed magnificent performance with the bat by scoring 44 off 15 balls.
Qalandars, who led the points table after winning seven out of their ten matches, defeated Peshawar Zalmi in the second eliminator of the championship on Friday, making space for themselves in the final match.
Interestingly, they defeated Sultans at the same venue last year to lift the PSL trophy.
Sultans, however, entered the ground with a psychological advantage over the rival team after thrashing them in the last match on Wednesday which they won by 84 runs.
Playing XIs
Lahore Qalandars: Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Fakhar Zaman, Rashid Khan, David Wiese, Hussain Talat, Haris Rauf, Abdullah Shafique, Sikandar Raza, Ahmad Daniyal, Dilbar Hussain, Kamran Ghulam, Mirza Tahir Baig, Shawaiz Irfan, Zaman Khan, Jalat Khan, Jordan Cox (wk), Ahsan Bhatti, Sam Billings (wk) and Shane Dadswell.
Multan Sultans: Mohammad Rizwan (c and wk), Johnson Charles, Shan Masood, Khushdil Shah, Rilee Rossouw, Akeal Hosain, Shahnawaz Dahani, Tim David, Usama Mir, Sameen Gul, Anwar Ali, Mohammad Sarwar, Usman Khan, Arafat Minhas, Ihsanullah, Abbas Afridi, Kieron Pollard, Ammad Butt, Mohammad Ilyas, IzharulHaq Naveed, Sheldon Cottrell and Carlos Brathwaite.