Lahore (Sports News): Defending champions Lahore Qalandars inflictedfirst defeat on Multan Sultans in the HBL Pakistan Super League 11 as they romped to a 20-run victory while defending 185 in a rain-shortened 13-over match here at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday night.
Player of the match Mohammad Naeem's explosive 60 off 28 balls and Parvez Hossain Emon’s quick-fire 45 off 19 balls in an 86-run opening partnership set the platform before the bowlers held firm to defend a steep total.
After a delay of nearly two hours due to persistent rain, Ashton Turner won the toss and chose to bowl in a contest reduced to 13 overs per side.
Debutant pacer Mohammad Ismail conceded 26 runs in the opening over, including 10 in wides, setting a new record for the most expensive first over in HBL PSL history.
Naeem and Emon pounced, racing to 50 in 3.2 overs and ending the shortened 3.5-over powerplay at 66 without loss.
Emon provided destructive blows early on, targeting Mohammad Nawaz for two sixes and a four in the fourth over before taking Faisal Akram for three consecutive sixes at the start ofthe next. He departed after blistering two fours and five sixes in his knock in the sixth over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Ismail.
Dropped on 16 by Arafat Minhas, Naeem made the Sultans pay, combining with Abdullah Shafique (33, 14b, 3x4s, 2x6s) to maintain the onslaught. At 134 for one after eight overs, the Qalandars looked on course for a total close to 200.
The Sultans clawed back impressively in the final five overs, conceding 51 while taking four wickets. Ismail (3-0-47-2) removed Abdullah in the ninth over, while Akram had Naeem caught at mid-wicket in the next after striking four fours and as many sixes.
Peter Siddle then bowled Rubin Hermann two overs later and Asif Ali was run out in the last over of the innings.
Sikandar Raza's unbeaten 13 off eight, including back-to-back boundaries off the innings' final two deliveries, pushed the Qalandars to 185 for five, aided by 23 extras including 14 wides.
Chasing 186 at an asking rate over 14 runs an over, Multan required a brisk start but instead lost Steve Smith (9, 10b, 2x4s) bowled by Qalandars’ skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi (3-0-32-1) in the third over with the score on 17. Two deliveries later, Ubaid Shah (3-0-34-1) had Josh Philippe caught by Shaheen at mid-off to leave Multan reeling at 18 for two.
Sahibzada Farhan (24, 15b, 1x4, 2x6s) counter-attacked with a couple of sixes off Shaheen in the sixth over but Mustafizur Rahman struck in his first over to have him caught off Abdullah, reducing the Sultans to 50 for three inside six overs.
Shan Masood then launched a counter-attack, blazing 44 off just 18 balls with seven fours and a six to haul Multan back into the contest. However, Mustafizur (3-0-37-2) struck again in the 10th over, trapping the left-hander leg-before-wicket to leave the Sultans at 100 for four.
Turner refused to surrender, smashing an unbeaten 52 off 22 deliveries laced with two fours and five sixes. He found an ally in Arafat Minhas (25, 11b, 1x4, 2x6s) and their fifth-wicket stand of 57 off 20 balls briefly raised Multan's hopes but in vain.
Sikandar broke the partnership in the final over, having Minhas caught by substitute Dunith Wellalage and the equation proved too steep despite Turner's heroics.
Scores in brief (13 overs per side):
Lahore Qalandars 185-5, 13 overs (Mohammad Naeem 60, Parvez Hossain Emon 45, Abdullah Shafique 33; Mohammad Ismail 2-47)
Multan Sultans 165-5, 13 overs (Ashton Turner 52 not out, Shan Masood 44, Arafat Minhas 25, Sahibzada Farhan 24; Mustafizur Rehman 2-37)
Player of the match: Mohammad Naeem (Lahore Qalandars)
