KARACHI: Multan Sultans cruised to the HBL Pakistan Super League final with an easy seven-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in the Qualifier here at the National Bank Stadium on Thursday.

It will be the fourth PSL final in a row for 2021 champions Sultans. And they will go in as the clear favourites after their drubbing of Zalmi, who put up a below-par performance.

On a slow, bowling-friendly surface, the Mohammad Rizwan-led side rode on leg-spinner Usama Mir’s expertise with the ball before opener Yasir Khan set the base for the chase of 147 runs with his maiden PSL half-century. The right-hander smashed seven fours and a six in his 37-ball knock of 54 before Usman Khan (36 not out) and Iftikhar Ahmed (22 not out) wrapped up the proceedings.

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, Zalmi struggled to get going and once again relied on Babar to carry them to a competitive total.

The talisman, however, managed only 46 off 42 and was castled by perfect yorker by pacer Chris Jordan in the 14th over. Babar’s attacking shots stayed limited to five fours as the batter did not have the freedom to go hard at the bowlers due to his partner Saim Ayub’s dismissal in the first over.

Once the Zalmi skipper departed, Usama struck to get Haseebullah Khan, as the left hander found the fielder at short third-man, and later got the better of Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who had scored a run-a-ball 24. The wickets took Usama’s tally to 23, as the lanky spinner continued to dominate this season’s bowling charts. Rovman Powell became Jordan’s second victim as pacer Mohammad Ali, who had dismissed Mohammad Haris earlier, took the catch.

Paul Walter and Luke Wood added late, unbeaten cameos of 14 runs each but couldn’t raise Zalmi to a competitive total.

Scoreboard

PESHAWAR ZALMI:
Saim Ayub c Yasir b Willey 1
Babar Azam b Jordan 46
Mohammad Haris c Rizwan b Ali 22
Haseebullah Khan c Ali b Usama 3
T. Kohler-Cadmore c Willey b Usama 24
R. Powell c Ali b Jordan 12
P. Walter not out 14
Aamer Jamal b Abbas 1
L. Wood not out 14
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-1, PEN-5) 9
TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 146
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-4 (Saim), 2-51 (Haris), 3-57 (Haseebullah), 4-101 (Babar), 5-109 (Kohler-Cadmore), 6-130 (Powell), 7-131 (Aamer)
DID NOT BAT: Mehran Mumtaz, Salman Irshad
BOWLING: Willey 4-0-31-1 (1w), Khushdil 2-0-20-0, Ali 2-0-13-1, Jordan 4-0-28-2, Iftikhar 2-0-9-0, Usama 4-0-16-2, Abbas 2-0-21-1

MULTAN SULTANS:
Yasir Khan c & b Mehran 54
Mohammad Rizwan c Saim b Aamer 15
Usman Khan not out 36
J. Charles b Salman 11
Iftikhar Ahmed not out 22

EXTRAS (B-5, W-4) 9
TOTAL (for three wickets, 18.3 overs) 147
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-61 (Rizwan), 2-94 (Yasir), 3-119 (Charles)
DID NOT BAT: Khushdil Shah, C. Jordan, D. Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali
BOWLING: Mehran 4-0-28-1, Wood 3.3-0-33-0 (1w), Saim 4-0-17-0 (1w), Walter 1-0-13-0, Aamer 3-0-23-1 (1w), Salman 3-0-28-1
TOSS: Peshawar Zalmi
RESULT: Multan Sultans won by seven wickets.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2024