PSL newcomers Multan Sultan have certainly surprised everyone with their performance in the opening game of the competition. The second game turned out to be same as Multan Sultans completed a comprehensive 43-run win over Lahore Qalandars.
Kumar Sangakkara scored his second half century of the competition to see Sultan register a competitive score on the board. The bowlers once again produced probing spells upfront to see Lahore Qalandars get bundled out for 136 runs in 17.2 overs.
Ahmed Shehzad look determined and got Multan Sultans off to a decent Start. He struck his first boundary off the bowling of Aamer Yamin in the second over of the innings. Lahore’s new pace sensation Shaheen Afridi conceded 15 runs in his first over.
Sangakkara looked comfortable at the crease as off-spinner Sunil Narine struggled to make an impact for Lahore Qalandars. Shehzad scored 38 runs off 33 balls and added 88 runs with Sangakkara in space of ten overs. Sohaib Maqsood failed to score big runs as he was bowled by leg-spinner Yasir Shah in the 11th over of the innings.
Shoaib Malik came to the crease and looked aggressive from the outset. He charged the spinners and produced a flurry of boundaries. Malik added 54 runs with Sangakkara to put Multan Sultans in a great position to post in excess of 170 runs in their innings. Sangakkara scored 63 runs off 44 runs while Shoaib Malik’s quick-fire 48 runs helped the side post 179 runs in 20 overs.
Lahore’s opening duo of Sunil Narine and Fakhar Zaman got the side off to a great start. Narine produced few boundaries early in the innings to put pressure back on Multan bowlers. The left-handed batsman was dismissed for 26 runs trying to go for an expensive shot off the bowling of left-arm quick Mohammad Irfan. Brendon McCullum was dismissed for a duck by Irfan to see Sultans gain firm control of the game.
Umar Akmal joined Fakhar Zaman at the crease as duo took the attack to the Multan bowlers. The duo put on a 65-run partnership to Qalandars back in the hunt to chase down the score set by Multan. Kieron Pollard came into the attack and dismissed Zaman and Akmal to put Sultans on top in the contest. Zaman scored 49 runs in just 30 balls and smashed four sixes in his innings.
After the departure of Zaman, Lahore Qalandars suffered a batting implosion as last seven wickets fell for just four runs. Left-arm quick Junaid Khan completed a hat-trick to cap off a comfortable win for Multan Sultans.
Multan Sultans are sitting pretty at the top of the points table while Qalandars will be keen to make a comeback in the next game against Quetta Gladiators to be played on Saturday.
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