PSL 2024 | Twitter in awe as Iftikhar Ahmad's sensational cameo leads Multan to victory over Lahore Qalandars

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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In a thrilling encounter, Multan Sultans beat Lahore Qalandars by five wickets at Multan. Chasing 167 runs, the Multan innings was powered by Rizwan’s splendid half-century blended with Iftikhar Ahmad’s cameo of 34 runs in 11 deliveries, ultimately guiding their side to the third successive victory.

‌Lahore Qalandars' decision to bat first didn't yield the desired start as they lost their in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan in just the second over of the game. However, Rassie van der Dussen and Fakhar Zaman stepped up to the crease, shouldering the responsibility of Lahore's batting. The pair exhibited remarkable resilience, guiding their side to a promising 49/1 at the end of the powerplay. Van der Dussen's elegance was on full display as he notched up a brilliant half-century off just 34 deliveries, anchoring the innings with finesse. Their partnership flourished, propelling the Qalandars to a commanding 95/1 after 12 overs. The momentum, however, saw a slight shift when Usama Mir broke the van der Dussen-Zaman alliance by dismissing the former. Subsequently, Lahore's middle order faced some turbulence, with Sikandar Raza and Jahandad Khan unable to capitalize on the foundation laid by the top order. Despite the brief stumble, Lahore Qalandars found their footing again, aided by some lapses in the Sultan's fielding. A resilient 22-run partnership between Carlos Brathwaite and Abdullah Shafique further bolstered their total of 166/5 in 20 overs.

Multan Sultans were off to a dreadful beginning losing Dawid Malan and Reeza Hendricks before the powerplay. However, Multan skipper Mohammad Rizwan and Yasir Khan guided their side to 38/2 at the end of the powerplay. Unfortunately, Yasir was dismissed in the eighth over, courtesy of Qalandar’s George Linde’s tossed-up spin. Nonetheless, Rizwan, like a true leader, took on the Lahore bowling and scored a 50 off 41 deliveries taking his side to 86/3 in 12 overs. Rizwan along with David Willey built a beautiful 75 runs stand capitalizing on their batting prowess and taking the Sultans to 121/3 in 16 overs. The game took a turn when Zaman Khan dismissed Rizwan (82 off 59) in the 17th over, and Qalandars' skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi removed David Willey (25 off 23) in the 18th over. However, Multan's Iftikhar Ahmad unleashed a storm in the 19th over, scoring an explosive 34 runs off just 11 deliveries, securing a remarkable victory for his side. With the win, Multan Sultans claimed their third consecutive victory, solidifying their position at the top of the points table.

Ifti mania

Run machine

High time

Well played

Need improvement

Lol

Poor fielding

Gettiing tense

Lone warrior

Very well played

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