Sri Lanka beat India by 4 wickets
Player of the match
Dhananjaya de Silva - SL
All
Wickets
4s
6s
IND
SL
Right then, that is it from this exciting opening game in the 8th edition of the Pakistan Super League and the action continues on Tuesday 14th of February for the second match. It will be played between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi at the National Stadium in Karachi at 7.30 pm IST (2.00 pm GMT). Do join us early for the build-up as usual. Cheers!
Shaheen Afridi the skipper of Lahore Qalandars says that it was a good start from them right from the beginning of the game courtesy of Fakhar Zaman and Mirza Tahir Baig. Mentions that all the bowlers did well to keep it tight and they have a good set of bowlers but credits Zaman Khan specifically for the way he bowled the last over. Claims that they knew that if they took one wicket then they would be in the game. Reckons that it is their first match so they will hope to improve as the tournament progresses.
Mohammad Rizwan the captain of Multan Sultans says that they were going well at the halfway mark in the chase but Lahore Qalandars came back at the end and took the game away from them. Adds that they did not think about dew but played to the team’s strengths. Says that they did most things right and almost got over the line but credits the opponents for pulling the game back in their favor. Closes by saying that he is pleased with his team’s effort and they will look to do well in the coming games.
Fakhar Zaman has been adjudged the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for scoring 66 runs in 42 balls. He says that the pitch wasn’t as they expected as they thought the ball would come onto the bat but instead it was helpful to the bowlers. Adds that they decided to take time and get used to the pitch. Mentions that by the time they got the feel of the wicket, it was already 12-13 overs so they managed to get a lower score but they knew their bowlers were good enough to defend this total.
Time for the presentations...
Hussain Talat is up for a chat and he says that he is happy to be playing for Lahore Qalandars and that they have got early momentum with this win. Adds that the batting gets difficult later in the day as the ball skids on and we had faith to defend in the final overs with our quality bowlers. Closes out by mentioning that he is happy with the win and is glad to be playing under Shaheen Afridi's captaincy.
Lahore Qalandars also got off to a good start with the bat after losing the toss scoring 50 runs in the Powerplay and not losing any wickets. Fakhar Zaman scored a good half-century but they could not make the most of their start and probably fell short by 10-15 runs. Usama Mir was outstanding with the ball and along with Ihsanullah claimed a couple of wickets each. Shahnawaz Dahani and Akeal Hosein chipped in with a wicket each and the host would have been confident of chasing the target on a friendly batting track. However, they were unable to hold their nerves and will have to pick themselves up as this is just the start of the tournament.
Multan Sultans got off to a wonderful start as Mohammad Rizwan and Shan Masood put in the hard yards and stitched together a 100-run partnership. Shan Masood was dismissed on 35 of 31 deliveries but David Miller came to the crease and did not let the tempo drop. Mohammad Rizwan was dismissed on 75 and there were some nerves creeping into the home side’s dressing room. Kieron Pollard walked out to the middle and he along with David Miller got off to decent starts but were dismissed in the quest for some quick runs. Khushdil Shah looked to pull off a tough task in the last over but fell short marginally to end what was a disappointing game for the hosts.
What a remarkable fightback this has been from the reigning champions! They steal a nail-biting victory and get over the finish line with a ONE-RUN WIN! This is the stuff champions are made of and they hung on till the very end to seal a remarkable win. Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf started off well and bowled with discipline but could not claim wickets against a watchful opening pair. The rest of the bowlers proved to be quite ineffective till Hussain Talat finally claimed a wicket against the run of play. Shaheen Afridi came back into the attack and dismissed his counterpart giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. The skipper and Haris Rauf bowled outstandingly well in the death overs to give Zaman Khan 15 runs to defend in the last over. He held his nerves and has got Lahore Qalandars to a great start in their title defense.
174/6 (20.0)
Over 20
4
4
1W
1wd
W
1W
1
Khushdil Shah*
12 (6)
Akeal Hosein
0 (0)
Zaman Khan
1/29 (3)
MUL
174/6
4
19.6
Zaman Khan to Khushdil Shah ,Zaman Khan defends it for Lahore Qalandars and gets them a victory by the barest of margins. FOUR! EDGED AWAY! Full and outside off. Khushdil Shah slashes hard and gets a thickish outside edge as the ball runs down to the third-man region for a boundary. WHAT A HUMDINGER WE HAVE WITNESSED IN THE OPENING GAME OF PSL 8.
4
19.5
Zaman Khan to Khushdil Shah ,FOUR! BANG! Full toss outside off. Khushdil Shah lofts it over the extra cover region as the ball races to the fence for four. SIX is needed off the final ball now. Can Khushdil Shah do it?
W
19.4
Zaman Khan to Khushdil Shah ,OUT! RUN OUT! Usama Mir had no chance getting back here and another batter bites the dust! Zaman Khan bowls this full and in line with the stumps. Khushdil Shah knocks this straight back past the bowler straight down the ground. Khushdil Shah wants the strike back and takes off for the second. Usama Mir is still turning when the throw comes in from Liam Dawson and Zaman Khan whips the bails off at the non-striker's end. Multan Sultans lose their sixth wicket but still have Khushdil Shah on strike. 10 runs needed in two balls.
1wd
19.4
Zaman Khan to Usama Mir ,Full and outside the tramline. Usama Mir leaves it alone as the batter scamper across for a single along with the WIDE.
Usama Mir walks out to the middle.
W
19.3
Zaman Khan to Usman Khan ,OUT! LBW! This is plumb as it can get! Zaman Khan bowls a full toss on the stumps. Usman Khan looks to whip it across and misses the full toss. Gets wrapped in front and it's an easy decision for the umpire. He goes upstairs for the review but the decision is upheld and Multan Sultans lose their fifth wicket. Usman Khan departs the first ball for a golden duck. Still 13 runs are required and this is going right down to the wire.
Usman Khan makes his way out to the crease.
W
19.2
Zaman Khan to Kieron Pollard ,OUT! RUN-OUT! This is a massive moment in the game. Full and outside off. Kieron Pollard whips it to the deep mid-wicket region and sets off for the run. A slight misfield and Pollard looks to sneak a second. Hussain Talat fires in a perfect throw from the deep and Shai Hope does the rest. Kieron Pollard is short of his crease and will have to walk back for 20. 13 runs are needed from 4 balls.
Slight delay! There seems to be some confusion out in the middle as the Lahore Qalandars seem to need some time figuring out the fielding placements.
1
19.1
Zaman Khan to Khushdil Shah ,Fires it full-length yorker just outside off. Khushdil Shah squeezes it to the point region and sneaks a run.
David Wiese has been given the responsibility of bowling the last over. Wait a minute! Shaheen Afridi changes his mind and calls for Zaman Khan as hands the ball over to him.
Over 19
4
1
1
6
wd
1
W
Kieron Pollard*
19 (11)
Khushdil Shah
2 (2)
Haris Rauf
1/37 (4)
MUL
161/3
4
18.6
Haris Rauf to Kieron Pollard ,FOUR! Full and angling into the middle and leg. Kieron Pollard digs it out and flicks it through the deep backward square leg as the ball goes rocketing away to the fence for four. Sikandar Raza makes a spectacular effort in the deep to dive and take it but fails to do so.
1
18.5
Haris Rauf to Khushdil Shah ,A low full toss outside off, Khushdil Shah mistimes the hit to long-on for a single.
1
18.4
Haris Rauf to Kieron Pollard ,Full and outside off, Kieron Pollard works it to deep mid-wicket for one.
6
18.3
Haris Rauf to Kieron Pollard ,SIX! BANG! Slower one, Short and outside off. Kieron Pollard stays back and slaps it away flat over the deep mid-wicket fence for a maximum.
wd
18.3
Haris Rauf to Kieron Pollard ,WIDE! Short ball and goes over the batter. Kieron Pollard goes for the pull and misses. The umpire gives it a wide.
1
18.2
Haris Rauf to Khushdil Shah ,Fires in the yorker on off. Khushdil Shah works it to long-on for a single.
Who will walk out now?
W
18.1
Haris Rauf to David Miller ,OUT! CLEANED UP! A massive blow for the Multan Sultans as their star finisher has to make the long walk back to the shed! Haris Rauf comes from 'round the wicket and bowls it on a yorker length at the middle and leg stump. David Miller moves across for the whip but misses it and the ball goes through his legs before crashing into the stumps. Haris Rauf takes the big fish out as David Miller walks back for 25 and Multan Sultans are now three wickets down.
Over 18
1
1
2
1
0
4
David Miller*
25 (19)
Kieron Pollard
8 (8)
Shaheen Afridi
1/27 (4)
MUL
147/2
1
17.6
Shaheen Afridi to David Miller ,Fires in the yorker just outside off. David Miller digs it out and plays it to covers for one. A terrific over by Shaheen Afridi.
1
17.5
Shaheen Afridi to Kieron Pollard ,Very full and on off. Kieron Pollard drills it past the bowler down the ground for one.
2
17.4
Shaheen Afridi to Kieron Pollard ,Back of a length delivery angling into the batter, Kieron Pollard tucks it to the mid-wicket region and runs for a brace.
1
17.3
Shaheen Afridi to David Miller ,Bowls a yorker on the stumps. David Miller digs it out and works it through covers for one.
0
17.2
Shaheen Afridi to David Miller ,Full and outside off. David Miller reaches out for it but misses.
4
17.1
Shaheen Afridi to David Miller ,FOUR! Full and outside the leg stumps. David Miller helps it on its way through the deep fine leg region to pick up a boundary.
Over 17
1
1
0
1
1
0
David Miller*
19 (15)
Kieron Pollard
5 (6)
Haris Rauf
0/23 (3)
MUL
138/2
1
16.6
Haris Rauf to David Miller ,Very full and on off. David Miller jams it through covers for one.
Loading....
