Pakistan Super League 2022: Lahore Qalandars Beat Multan Sultans In Final To Lift First-Ever Title

Chasing Lahore Qalandars’ 180/5, defending champions Multan Sultans could only manage 138 in 19.3 overs in PSL 2022 final on Sunday.

Updated on: 28 February 2022 9:26 am

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Lahore Qalandars captain Shaheen Shah Afridi celebrates after winning Pakistan Super League 2022.

Lahore Qalandars won their maiden Pakistan Super League (PSL) title on Sunday, beating defending champion Multan Sultans by 42 runs in the final. Multan Sultans came into the final on the back of 10 wins in 11 games but was bowled out by Lahore for 138 in 19.3 overs. (More Cricket News)

Veteran Mohammad Hafeez formed the backbone of Lahore Qalandars’ formidable total of 180/5 by scoring 69 off 46 balls after skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi won the toss and opted to bat first.

Hafeez then chipped in with 2/23 with his off-spin bowling before Afridi claimed 3/30 in his return spell to not only seal the final but also ended the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 20 scalps.

Lahore Qalandars was the only team that had beaten Multan Sultans, led by Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, in the league games.

“It was a difficult responsibility when I was appointed captain, but thanks to family (and) Hafeez who supported throughout and everyone in the team,” Afridi said. “I want to give credit to everyone in the team as all of them put up their hands and contributed at different times.”

Throughout the tournament, Rizwan and his opening partner Shan Masood had provided Multan with some brisk starts, but both got dismissed inside the batting powerplay on Sunday which exposed the middle order.

Hafeez had Rizwan clean bowled around his legs for 14 in the fourth over and Masood (19) got run out in the following over off a brilliant direct throw from Fakhar Zaman.

Fast bowler (2-26), who took 18 wickets in the Zaman Khan tournament, then bowled tidily and effectively in the middle overs for the wickets of Rilee Rossouw (15) and Asif Afridi (1) before Afridi ran through the lower order by knocking off hard-hitter Tim David (27) and David Willey (0) in one over.

Earlier, Hafeez held Lahore’s innings together despite left-arm spinner Asif Afridi claiming three wickets for 19 runs which had reduced Lahore to 79-4 in the 12th over. Englishman Harry Brook (41 not out off 22 balls) and David Wiese (28 not out off eight balls) provided the late flourish by smashing 43 runs off the last 16 balls.