Multan Sultans put on a scintillating display to register their maiden PSL title by defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final, on Friday, 24 June. Half-centuries from Shoaib Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw propelled them to 206/4 before bowlers restricted Peshawar to 159 in 20 overs.
Wahab Riaz called the toss correctly and out in Multan to bat. They got off a conservative start, as both Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood struggled to break free in the Powerplay. Rizwan made 30 in 30 balls, while Masood got out after playing 29 balls for his 37. Both openers fell prey to Mohammad Imran.
Sohail Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw then did not waste time shifting through the gears, clearing boundaries at will. One of Riaz’s overs yielded 17. The next, bowled by Amad Butt, fetched 20. Rossouw hit him two sixes and a four.
The duo showed urgency and piled up 98 runs in 44 balls before Sameen Gul got the better of Rossouw. He made 50 off just 21 deliveries, with five fours and three sixes. Maqsood smashed six fours and three sixes en route his unbeaten 65.
Khushdil Shah’s 5-ball 15, including two sixes in the last over, propelled Multan to a daunting total of 206/4.
Kamran Akmal farmed much of the strike in the Powerplay, as Hazratullah Zazai got only five balls before getting dismissed by Blessing Muzarabani in the sixth over. Akmal too departed the next over, after making 36 off 28 deliveries.
A slow start, followed by early wickets, hampered their chase. Shoaib Malik smashed timely boundaries, but found minimal support from the other end. Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford did come and attack straight away, but their stay was not long enough to change the game.
In the end, they could only manage 159/9 in 20 overs. Imran Tahir picked up three wickets, while Imran Khan and Blessing Muzarabani claimed two wickets each.
Brief scores: Multan Sultans 206/4 in 20 overs (Maqsood 65; Sameen Gul 2-26) beat Peshawar Zalmi 159/9 in 20 overs (Malik 48; Imran Tahir 3-33) by 47 runs. Player of the Match: Sohaib Maqsood