In the opening match of the HBL Pakistan Super League 8, Lahore Qalandars defeated Multan Sultans by one run, thanks to incredible bowling in the final over by their pacers. The Multan Sultans, playing in front of their fans at the Multan Cricket Stadium, Total Score of Lahore Qalander is 175, Multan starts batting and after 15 overs Multan needed 49 runs off their last five overs. With Mohammad Rizwan and David Miller at the crease as set batsmen, it looked like they would win easily. However, Shaheen Shah Afridi bowled Rizwan with a slower ball in an outstanding death-bowling spell that yielded only 16 runs in two overs (the 16th and 18th). Haris Rauf performed equally well, striking out Miller with a pitch-perfect yorker at the beginning of the 19th and allowing only four runs in the 17th.
Multan Sultans selected Kieron Pollard, an experienced T20 batsman, in the replacement draft. He smashed Haris for a six and a four toward the end of the penultimate over, adding 14 runs for his team and leaving only 15 runs to chase in the final over. Shaheen put his faith in right-arm fast bowler Zaman Khan, who had bowled exceptionally well in the previous season to defend 12 off the final over against Islamabad United. The bowler delivered.
Usama Mir was run out on the fourth, Khushdil Shah spanked the second last ball for a four to bring the score to six off one, but failed to connect the last ball that raced away for four instead in what turned out to be a dramatic final over. Pollard was run out running for the second on the second ball, the third ball, a full toss, thudded onto Usman Khan’s pad right in front of the stumps, and Usama Mir was run out on
This was the first time Multan Sultans had lost at home; they had won all three games here in 2020, and it came from a team playing their first game here.
Shan Masood, who scored 35 runs off 31 balls, and Rizwan, who scored 75 runs off 50 balls, including eight fours and a six, set up a 100-run partnership, gave Multan Sultans a strong start to the run chase with 176 runs. The only wicket lost before Rizwan’s dismissal was Shan, who was caught off Hussain Talat after 12.2 overs. After the Multan Sultans had scored 53 runs in the Powerplay, Lahore Qalandars did well to stop the flow of home runs when Miller struck David Wiese for four on the second pitch of the 14th over, scoring 24 runs off 20 hits. It ended a drought of 28 balls for long boundaries.
Technical Analysis
The HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) has always been an exciting and competitive T20 league, attracting fans from all over the world. The eighth edition of the PSL started with a thrilling match between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans, where Lahore Qalandars secured a one-run victory. The match had everything from brilliant batting to outstanding bowling performances, making it a memorable start to the tournament.
Lahore Qalandars won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a target of 175 runs for Multan Sultans. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Lahore Qalandars managed to put up a competitive total, thanks to some excellent contributions from their middle order batsmen. Muhammad Hafeez was the top scorer for Lahore Qalandars with 33 runs, while Tim David and Ben Dunk chipped in with 27 and 24 runs respectively.
In response, Multan Sultans got off to a solid start, with openers Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan putting on a 100-run partnership. Rizwan was particularly impressive, scoring 75 runs off just 50 balls, including eight fours and a six. However, the match turned in Lahore Qalandars’ favour in the final few overs, thanks to some outstanding bowling performances from Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.
Shaheen Shah Afridi was outstanding in the death overs, bowling a slower ball to dismiss Rizwan and conceding only 16 runs in two overs. Haris Rauf was equally impressive, taking the wicket of David Miller with a perfect yorker and conceding only four runs in the 17th over. With Multan Sultans needing 15 runs to win off the final over, Lahore Qalandars turned to Zaman Khan, who had bowled exceptionally well in the previous season to defend 12 off the final over against Islamabad United.
Zaman Khan was up to the task, delivering an outstanding final over to secure a one-run victory for Lahore Qalandars. Kieron Pollard, who was playing his first game for Multan Sultans after being selected in the replacement draft, tried his best to take his team over the line with a six and a four off Haris Rauf in the penultimate over. However, he was run out on the second ball of the final over, which proved to be a crucial moment in the match.
Despite the loss, there were some positives for Multan Sultans. Shan Masood looked in good touch, scoring 35 runs off 31 balls, while Rizwan continued his impressive form with the bat. However, Multan Sultans will need to work on their death bowling, which let them down in this match.
Overall, it was a fantastic start to the PSL 8, with the match between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans living up to expectations. The tournament promises to be a closely contested affair, with all six teams looking strong on paper. With some of the best T20 players from around the world participating in the tournament, fans can expect more thrilling matches in the coming weeks.
Conclusion
The opening match of HBL Pakistan Super League 8 between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans was a thrilling encounter that had all the elements of a T20 cricket match. Lahore Qalandars, playing away from home, batted first and set a target of 175 runs. Multan Sultans, who had won all three games at the Multan Cricket Stadium in the previous season, had a strong start to their run chase, with Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan setting up a 100-run partnership.
However, the match turned in Lahore Qalandars’ favor in the last five overs when their pacers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, produced an outstanding death-bowling performance, conceding only 16 runs in two overs and picking up two crucial wickets. Kieron Pollard gave Multan Sultans hope by hitting two big sixes in the penultimate over, but it was not enough as Zaman Khan defended 15 runs in the final over to secure a one-run victory for Lahore Qalandars.
This match showed the importance of death bowling in T20 cricket, and how a few good overs can change the course of a match. Lahore Qalandars’ pacers proved their worth in the crunch situation, and their captain, Sohail Akhtar, deserves credit for backing Zaman Khan to defend 15 runs in the final over.
Multan Sultans, on the other hand, would be disappointed to lose their first match at home, but they can take heart from the fact that they played well for most of the match and were in a winning position until the last few overs. They have a strong team, and with the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, and Kieron Pollard in their ranks, they can bounce back from this defeat.
Overall, the opening match of HBL Pakistan Super League 8 was a great advertisement for T20 cricket, and it sets the tone for an exciting season ahead. Lahore Qalandars will take a lot of confidence from this victory, and they will look to build on this performance in their next matches. Multan Sultans, on the other hand, will be eager to get back to winning ways and make amends for this defeat.