The first playoff stage match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) Season 8, was played today between Lahore Qalandars and Multan Sultans. Multan Sultan won the toss and elected to bat first.
Multan Sultans Innings
While batting, Kieron Pollard scored the most from Multan Sultans and that is 57 runs on just 34 balls. The batting of Kieron Pollard included 6 sixes and a four while he scored on the strike rate of 168. Kieron Pollard, for his same outstanding performance with bat, won the ‘energetic better of match’ as well as the ‘player of the match’ awards.
The captain Muhammad Rizwan contributed 33 runs on 29 balls, Usman Khan scored 29 and Tim David scored 22 and he remained not out. Overall, Multan Sultans was able to score 160 runs for the loss of just 5 wickets in their innings.
For Lahore Qalandars Haris Rauf took 3 wickets while Zaman Khan and the Rashid Khan took one wicket each. Shaheen Shah Afridi and David Wiese also bowled full four overs but they did not had any luck with taking wickets.
Lahore Qalandars Innings
As Lahore Qalandars came to bat, it seem the target of 161 will be very easy for them to chase. As previously, they had been on top of the points table, in the previous stage of PSL 8. However, whole team of Lahore Qalandars got out after scoring just 76 runs, which is not even half of the given target. No player from Lahore Qalandars even scored 20 runs. Sam billings was best scorer, he scored 19 runs on 27 balls. Haris Rauf scored 15, David Wiese scored 12 and 8 other batter were not able to even enter the double figures.
For Multan Sultans Sheldon Cottrell took 3 wickets and Usama Mir took 2. While Anwar Ali, Abbas Afridi, Ihsanullah and Kieron Pollard took 1 wicket each. Hassan Talat was run out by Usman Khan.
Match Summary
Multan Sultans won the toss and elected to bat first. While batting first Sultans scored 160 runs. Lahore Qalandars, who were expected to chase the target very easily, the whole team collapsed, got out, after scoring just 76 runs. Multan Sultans lost the match by huge 84 runs.
Anwar Ali won moment of match award for the taking the Fakhar Zaman’s wicket, early on the Lahore Qalandars innings. Abbas Afridi was awarded the safe hands award for taking catch of Sikandar Raza on the bowling of Kieron Pollard. While Kieron Pollard took the ‘energetic batter of the match’ and ‘player of the match’ awards for the top score, 57 runs on just 34 balls for Multan Sultans.
PSL 8 Qualifier Match Highlights
Multan Sultans Innings Highlights in the embedded video below.
Lahore Qalandars Innings Highlights in the embedded video below.
Multan Sultans qualifies to the PSL 8 final
After winning the today’s match Multan Sultans have already qualified the PSL 8 final. However, Lahore Qalandars, the runners up of today’s match, will have another chance to go to final. The Lahore Qalandars will play the next match with the winner of tomorrow’s match (Eliminator 1) which is between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2 of PSL 8.
Whoever wins the Eliminator 2, will face the Multan Sultan in the Final Match of PSL 8, for the one last battle to win the PSL 8 trophy.
