Lahore Qalandars secured their first-ever playoff berth in the fifth season of the Pakistan Super League with a nine-wicket victory. The explosive opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Chris Lynn terrorised a second-string Multan Sultans bowling unit, pounding out 72 runs during the powerplay during a 100-run partnership to mow down a target of 187. Zaman scored a brilliant half-century before Lynn’s match-winning hundred, the first by a Qalandars batsman in their five-year existence in the competition, followed.
This season, Qalandars had a rocky start to the competition after losing their first three games, but a dramatic comeback powered by Ben Dunk’s vicious hitting in their fourth game helped them escape the bottom half. Dunk’s past efforts were not in useless thanks to the fireworks of Lynn and Zaman in their season-ending victory over the Sultans. Zaman and Lynn capitalised on the fact that Sultans could afford to rest some of its top bowlers after having secured first position fully 48 hours earlier after suffering a 10-wicket defeat at the hands of Karachi Kings on Thursday.
Zaman spearheaded the first assault, scoring a half-century in 25 balls during a furious attack on Moeen Ali’s offspin in the seventh over. In the ninth over, Usman Qadir’s legspin caused Zaman to be stumped, and Lynn grabbed centre stage with more forceful hitting.
In the 10th over, the Australian batsman reached a half-century in 22 balls by hitting Ravi Bopara for a six over cow corner. When Khushdil Shah was carted for back-to-back straight sixes in the 14th, Lynn entered the eighties as the maximum barrage against him persisted. The first century by a Qalandars batsman in their five-year history was reached after another heave over cow corner off Bilawal Bhatti got him to 98. In the 19th over, Lynn put an end to the game by twice throwing Ali Shafiq over the leg side line to ensure his team’s first-ever playoff berth with seven balls remaining.
Turning point
Sultans had the upper hand as Khushdil feasted his way to an unbeaten 70 off 29 balls thanks to poor bowling in the second half of the first innings. However, Zaman and Lynn immediately took it back with their resounding powerplay. Zaman hooked and pulled for boundaries at will, rendering a consistent short ball plan to him futile time and time again.
However, Zaman gave Ali the most brutal treatment when he attacked him in the seventh over, which came right after the first six. Ali’s second ball was driven sharply over mid-off by him as he charged at it for a six. The next delivery, which was intended to be fuller, flatter, and broader, was rendered useless when Zaman swiped him through the leg side for four runs. Zaman sprinted down the wicket once more two deliveries later, this time lifting Ali over long-on for another six. 89 for 0 and a needed run rate of 7.53 left the Sultans completely deflated.
Star of the day
Over the past few years, Lynn has developed a stellar reputation, especially in the Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League. Unbelievably, though, this performance marked his first century in T20 franchise cricket played outside of Australia. The knock also had a tremendous deal of maturity. Lynn was prepared to rotate the strike and just attack when there was actually a loose ball because Zaman had applied early pressure. Though he missed a few stumps on his way to the fine leg boundary with a few inside edges in the beginning, Lynn had his eye locked in halfway through the chase and showed no mercy from that point on.
The big miss
Today, Sultans took a break from their arsenal of bowling weapons. Imran Tahir was voted Man of the Meeting for his two crucial wickets during the first match between these two teams this season, but Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, and Shahid Afridi all had significant contributions in the game, which the other team won by 29 balls while pursuing a 139-run goal. The Sultans bowling unit’s lacklustre performance on the field on Sunday afternoon was a clear indication of their collective absence.
Where the teams stand
Even though the loss kept Sultans on 14 points, they could afford to rest all of the aforementioned players because they had already secured first place and the top seed in the PSL playoffs. Unless Quetta Gladiators defeat Karachi Kings and overcome a significant net-run-rate deficit in the process to take fourth place from Zalmi, they would, barring a miracle, meet Peshawar Zalmi in one semifinal. With ten points at the conclusion of the league phase, Qalandars will take on Karachi Kings in the other semifinal on Tuesday.
Source: Recent Match Report – Sultans vs Qalandars 29th Match 2019/20-2020/21