LAHORE: Sam Billings scored a magnificent half-century before a collective effort from the bowlers led Lahore Qalandars to beat Multan Sultans and qualify for the playoffs of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season eight.
Set to chase 181, the Sultans fell 21 runs short of glory as the visitors could accumulate 159/7 in 20 overs.
The Sultans’ openers struggled early on in the run chase against a strong bowling attack of the Qalandars and raised a cautious 48-run partnership before Zaman Khan dismissed Shan Masood soon after the powerplay, who could score 19 off 20.
Sultans’ skipper Mohammad Rizwan then looked to anchor the run chase with promoted Usama Mir and could add 16 runs to the stand before falling victim to Sikandar Raza in the 10th over.
The skipper played a cautious knock of a 27-ball 30, which featured two boundaries and a six.
Rizwan’s dismissal sparked a frustrating collapse in the Sultans’ batting lineup as the visitors slipped to 87/5 in the 13th over; courtesy of an outstanding bowling spell of Rashid Khan, who returned with 3/15 in his four overs.
Wickets then kept tumbling of Sultans in the run chase which also halted the flow of runs and the visitors, consequently restricted to 159/7 after a late retaliation from Kieron Pollard.
Pollard top-scored with a fighting 39 off 28 balls, smashing two boundaries and three sixes but failed to steer his side over the line.
Besides Rashid, Hussain Talat, Sikandar, Haris Rauf and Zaman struck out a batter each.
Opting to bat first, the Qalandars posted a decent total on the board at the back of a vital third-wicket partnership between Billings and Shafique.
Earlier, the hosts got off to a dismal start as their in-form opener Fakhar Zaman perished for a duck in the first over.
Following the early setback, Tahir Baig stitched a crucial partnership with Abdullah and launched a counterattack on the Sultans’ bowlers as they added 50 runs at a quick pace before Ihsanullah dismissed the latter, who could score 17 off 11.
Abdullah then joined hands with newly-arrived Billings and stitched another vital partnership for the Qalandars.
The pair raised 69 runs for the third wicket and put Qalandars in contention for a big total before Kieron Pollard removed in-form Abdullah with a stunning caught and bowled. He fell just two runs short of his half-century as he scored a 35-ball 48, laced up with six boundaries and a six.
Billings carried his brilliance with the bat and soon brought up his half-century but Pollard struck again in his next over to bring an end to his brilliant knock. Billings top-scored with 54 off 35 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and two sixes.
The Qalandars then began to lose wickets at regular intervals but the Sultans’ bowlers failed to stop the flow of runs as some vital contributions from Sikandar Raza (14), David Wiese (15) and Shaheen Shah Afridi (9) took the side to 180 in their allotted overs.
Anwar Ali, Ihsanullah, Pollard and Abbas Afridi bagged two wickets each, while Sameen Gul could pick up a wicket.
