Multan Sultans have finally lost a game after seven matches and two venues to get there. It came against the Lahore Qalandars, the home favorites, in an astonishingly clinical performance from Shaheen Afridi’s team, who, after reaching 182, easily dispatched the defending champions by 52 runs. Sultans were denied the potential to get off to the fast start that they rely on so much for their domination, thanks to a team effort by Qalandars’ bowlers.
They only managed 38 in the first six overs, and when the asking rate increased, Rashid Khan blew the game up by taking wickets in consecutive balls. Regular wickets fell, and while the Sultans, particularly Khushdil Shah, continued to press for the target, Mohammad Rizwan’s team fell short.
Despite recent success defending scores, the Sultans, who had already qualified for the knockouts, chose to chase after winning the toss. Anwar Ali dismissed Abdullah Shafique in the first over, but the Sultans had to be concerned about Fakhar Zaman. Qalandars were permitted to pile on the runs despite a lackluster bowling performance in the powerplay, picking off stray deliveries as they went.
Blessing Muzarabani, the Sultans’ hero just 24 hours earlier, couldn’t quite match his accuracy here, either at the top or bottom of the innings and ended up giving 48 in his four overs. In a match in which Qalandars have undoubtedly emerged as one of the major title challengers this season, it was up to developing player Zaman Khan to take the final wicket.