Multan Sultans cruised into their fourth consecutive HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) final, overcoming Peshawar Zalmi by a seven-wicket margin in the crucial Qualifier match of the PSL 9 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.
Peshawar Zalmi is now set to battle the victor of the eliminator clash between Islamabad United and Quetta Gladiators, taking place on March 15. The Sultans' bowling attack was the highlight of the evening, as they worked collectively to restrict Zalmi to a modest total of 146-7. The Sultans' batsmen then confidently chased down the target in 18.3 overs, solidifying a resounding victory.
The chase was ignited by Sultans' openers, Yasir Khan and Muhammad Rizwan, whose 61-run partnership set a solid foundation. Yasir Khan was particularly aggressive, signaling his intentions early on by hitting a six in the second ball of the innings. Despite Rizwan's slow start, Yasir kept the momentum going, bringing up his first HBL PSL fifty off just thirty balls.
After Rizwan's dismissal for 15, Yasir continued to attack until he was caught out for a well-made 54. The game, however, was far from over as Johnson Charles and Usman Khan maintained the pace, adding 35 runs for the third wicket. Iftikhar Ahmed then took charge, smashing a quick 22 not out off 8 balls, to edge the Sultans closer to victory. Usman Khan's unbeaten 36 sealed the deal, ushering the Sultans into the final.
Earlier in the day, Zalmi, having chosen to bat first, saw their innings get off to a rocky start and never truly recover. Despite a fighting 46 from Babar Azam and contributions down the order, they could only muster 146-7, thanks in part to tight bowling from the Sultans, particularly Usama Mir and Chris Jordan, who picked up two wickets each.
Scores in Brief:
Multan Sultans 147-3 in 18.3 overs (Yasir Khan 54, Usman Khan 36*, Iftikhar Ahmed 22*; Aamir Jamal 1-23, Mehran Mumtaz 1-28, Salman Irshad 1-28) beat Peshawar Zalmi 146-7 in 20 overs (Babar Azam 46, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 24, Mohammad Haris 22; Usama Mir 2-16, Chris Jordan 2-28) by 7 wickets.
