MULTAN: Scintillating batting by Moeen Ali and captain Shan Masood and fine bowling backed by outstanding fielding inspired Multan Sultans to a crushing 52-run victory against Karachi Kings and propelled them to the top of the points table in the HBL Pakistan Super League in a packed-to-capacity Multan Stadium here on Friday.

Set to chase a target of 187, Kings though maintained a high run-rate but no batsman could stay on the crease for any big knock as all were out at 134 in 17 overs, with Imran Tahir (3-28), Shahid Afridi (2-18) and Sohail Tanvir (2-20) did not allow the visitors to settle.

The Kings made an ordinary start, losing dashing opener Sharjeel Khan (16) early when he was adjudged leg before off Moeen for 31 and soon afterwards, the prolific batsman Babar Azam at the total of 45.

But he was caught brilliantly by Mohammad Ilyas off Mohammad Irfan for 13. Kings crossed the total of 2-50 in 5.3 overs.

Hales was dropped by Shahid Afridi in cover area at 28 off Ilyas. But Afridi repaired the loss as in next over as he had Hales caught by Shan in cover area, who held a low doubtful catch for 29,studded with four fours and one six off 21 balls. It also triggered a batting collapse reducing Kings from 3-66 to 5-75 in 9.4 overs.

First Imran Tahir removed Delport at 4t-68 in 8.1 overs and then Imad Wasim was caught by wicketkeeper Zeeshan Ashraf off Afridi for five as Kings were in cold water 5-75 in 9.4.

From here onwards Kings failed to maintain high run-rate and lost two more wicket took by Imran Tahir, who first removed C Walton (15) and when he dismissed Jordan (7), the score was 106-7 in 13.3 overs, as the victory was looking uncertain for the Kings.

Earlier, offered to bat first, Sultan set a daunting target of 187 due to fine half-centuries by opener Moeen (65) and Shan (61).

The total might have crossed 200-mark but Sultan could get just 13 runs in last two overs bowled by Mohammad Aamir and Chris Jordan, while losing two wickets of Ravi Bopara and Khushdil Shah. Shan tested new opening pair Moeen and wicket-keeper batsman Zeeshan Ashraf.

While Moeen looked nervous in the beginning and also survived a dropped catch by Sharjeel due to wrong anticipation off paceman Mohammad Amir, Zeeshan was quite impressive, cracking back to back boundaries off second pacer Umaid Asif in his first over and then a four and a six in his second. Zeeshan, however, was trapped by off-spinner Iftikhar Ahmad, caught by Babar Azam for 23 at the total of 31 in 4.1 over.

By this time, howeer, Moeen was finding his feet and cracked a six off Iftikhar and a four off Chris Jordan as Sultans scored 48 runs in the first power play for the loss of one wicket. Imad, who often bowls as main attack bowler, came in the 7th over but received no respect from Moeen as he hoisted him for a six over long on and a boundary to increase the run-rate.

The bearded Englishman got a life when he was dropped by Hales of Cameron Delport, but came back strongly to strike one six and two boundaries in Iftikhar’s over to complete his half-century. It took him just 32 balls annd he smashed four sixes and three fours in his half century.

Sultans crossed the 100-mark in 11.3 overs before Umaid finally dismissed Moeen as Delport held a high catch. Moeen’s 65 off 42 balls played a key role in lifting his team’s spirits and his second-wicket stand with Shan, which yielded 81 off 46 balls, proved a match-winning one.

Shan, who was defensive when Moeen was blazing, changed gears to quickly complete his 50 and posted team’s 150 in the 17th over with three consecutive boundaries against Delport. Shan was clean bowled by Jordan for a 42-ball 61 laced with seven fours and a six as Sultan reached 186 for six in 20 overs. Aamir and Jordan captured two wickets each for 27 and 29, respectively.

Now Sultans face Quetta Gladiators in a cracker-jack of a contest here on Saturday. Both Sultans and Gladiators have six points each from four outings.

Scoreboard

MULTAN SULTANS:

Batsmen & mode of dismissals R B 4s 6s SR

Moeen Ali c Delportb Umaid 65 42 4 4 154.76

Zeeshan Ashraf c Babar b Iftikhar 23 13 3 1 176.92

Shan Masood b Jordan 61 42 7 1 145.23

R.R. Rossouw c Babar b Amir 8 6 1 0 133.33

R.S. Bopara c Umaid b Amir 9 5 0 1 180.00

Khushdil Shah c Walton b Jordan 10 9 0 0 111.11

Shahid Afridi not out 1 3 0 0 33.33

Sohail Tanvir not out 2 1 0 0 200.00

EXTRAS (LB-5, W-1, NB-1) 7 - - - -

TOTAL (for six wkts, 20 overs) 186 - - - -

FALL OF WKTS: 1-31 (Zeeshan, 4.1 ov), 2-102 (Moeen, 11.5 ov), 3-140 (Rossouw, 15.4 ov), 4-164 (Shan, 17.2 ov), 5-175(Bopara, 18.2 ov), 6-184 (Khushdil, 19.5 ov).

DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Irfan, Imran Tahir.

BOWLING: Mohammad Amir 4-0-27-2 (1nb, 1w); Umaid Asif 4-0-34-1; Iftikhar Ahmed 3-0-42-1; Jordan 4-0-29-2; Imad Wasim 1-0-12-0; Delport 4-0-37-0.

KARACHI KINGS:

Batsmen & mode of dismissals R B 4s 6s SR

Sharjeel Khan lbw b Moeen 16 9 2 1 177.77

Babar Azam c Ilyas b Irfan 13 12 1 0 108.33

A.D. Hales c Shan b Afridi 29 21 4 1 138.09

C.S. Delport c Moeen b Imran 8 6 0 1 133.33

C.A.K. Walton c Khushdil b Imran 15 8 1 1 187.50

Imad Wasim c Zeeshan b Afridi 5 6 1 0 83.33

Iftikhar Ahmed c Khushdil b Ilyas 14 15 0 1 93.33

C.J. Jordan lbw b Imran 7 7 1 0 100.00

Umaid Asif c Bopara b Sohail 20 11 0 2 181.81

Umar Khan not out 3 5 0 0 60.00

Mohammad Amir b Sohail 2 2 0 0 100.00

EXTRAS (W-2) 2 - - - -

TOTAL (all out, 17 overs) 134 - - - -

FALL OF WKTS: 1-19 Sharjeel, 1.6 ov), 2-45 (Babar, 4.5 ov), 3-66 (Hales, 7.5 ov), 4-68 (Delport, 8.1 ov), 5-75 (Imad, 9.4 ov), 6-87 (Walton, 10.5 ov), 7-106 (Jordan, 13.3 ov), 8-120 (Iftikhar, 15.1 ov), 9-131 (Umaid, 16.3 ov), 10-134 (Amir, 167.6 ov).

BOWLING: Mohammad Irfan 4-0-24-1; Moeen 2-0-25-1; Sohail Tanvir 3-0-20-2 (1w); Mohammad Ilyas 2-0-19-1; Shahid Afridi 3-0-18-2 (1w); Imran Tahir 3-0-28-3.

RESULT: Multan Sultans won by 52 runs.

UMPIRES: Shozab Raza (Pakistan) and Faisal Afridi (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: Asif Yaqoob (Pakistan).

MATCH REFEREE: Mohammad Javed Malik (Pakistan).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Moeen Ali (Multan Sultans).

Published in Dawn, February 29th, 2020