Lahore Qalandars secured a victory against defending champions Multan Sultans, showcasing a brilliant performance, particularly by the experienced Muhammad Hafeez, at their home ground, Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. With this win, all six franchises have now claimed the trophy at least once.
Lahore Qalandar who was playing their second final after 2020 was shacked at start when they lost 3 Wickets on 25 and the fourth one on 79 but Hafeez was committed on his end and build strong partnerships with Kamran Ghulam and Henry Brook of 54 and 58 runs respectively.
Pakistan Domestic Tournament broadcasted all over the world and witnessed 27000 houseful Gaddafi Stadium fans as one of the best produced cricketing tournament of the Sub continent.
Qalandars, who were losing finalists in HBL PSL 5 and finished last in the first four seasons, along with securing fifth place in HBL PSL 6, chose the perfect setting to lift the trophy. Their victory not only earned them PKR 80 million but also brought immense joy and unforgettable memories to their fans in their home ground.
Batting second, Sultans never quite got into the rhythm of their 181-run chase, especially after their prolific opening partnership of Mohammad Rizwan (14) and Shan Masood (19) was dismantled.
Mohammad Hafeez (player of the match) who produced his best innings with the bat of the season in the all-important final made a telling contribution with the ball by bowling Rizwan before Fakhar Zaman produced a sensational bit of fielding to run out Shan after the opener was stranded in the middle of the pitch following a misunderstanding with his partner Aamer Azmat.
Moments later, Fakhar took a fine tumbling catch to dismiss Aamer for 6 runs.
Sultans kept losing wickets at regular intervals against the high-octane bowling of Qalandars. Tim David’s dismissal for 27, courtesy of another sensational catch by Fakhar on the first ball of the 17th over bowled by Qalandars’ talismanic captain Shaheen Shah Afridi, sealed the game for Sultans. Shaheen then bowled David Willey for 0 on the fourth ball of the same over with an unplayable yorker.
In the next over, Khushdil (32) was dismissed by Haris Rauf, while Shaheen bowled Rumman Raees (6). Imran Tahir’s (10) dismissal in the final over, courtesy of David Weise, sparked celebrations in the Qalandars dugout and throughout the entire stadium.
Meanwhile, Qalandars’ victory means that all six HBL PSL franchises have now lifted the trophy at least once. Islamabad United remains the only side to have won two titles, clinching the championship in 2016 and 2018.
Earlier, Qalandars showcased their never-say-die attitude once again in HBL PSL 7. Despite a disastrous start after winning the toss and electing to bat, the home side delighted the crowd with a magnificent end to their innings. They added 77 runs off the last 30 balls, sending the spectators into sheer jubilation.
Asif Afridi provided Sultans with a brilliant start in the final by taking two wickets, while Willey stunned the packed crowd with another wicket. Qalandars found themselves struggling at 25 for three in 4.2 overs. Asif dismissed Fakhar (3), the leading run-getter of HBL PSL 7 with 588 runs, and Abdullah Shafique (14).
Willey made an impact by dismissing Zeeshan Ashraf (7), who was included in the Qalandars eleven for the final match. The veteran Hafeez then revived the innings with a 54-run fourth-wicket partnership alongside Kamran Ghulam (15).
Hafeez upped the scoring rate with a series of boundaries and chose the perfect timing to post his first fifty off the season. The right-hander was eventually dismissed for 69 off 46 (nine fours and one six).
Hafeez’s departure, with just 16 balls remaining, didn’t deter Sultans much, as David Wiese, the player-of-the-match in the Eliminator 2, mirrored his batting performance from Friday, contributing 28 runs off eight balls, including one four and three sixes.
Harry Brook was another star performer as the English youngster sizzled with 41 unbeaten runs off 22 (two fours, three sixes). Brook and Wiese added 43 off 16, Brook had earlier added 58 off 33 with Hafeez.
Player of the match Mohammad Hafeez: “I want to thank everyone who came to witness the game, it was an amazing atmosphere. My management backed me and I think this was a great time to perform. It is all about absorbing some pressure, the partnership between me and Harry Brook really helped. For the last seven years Lahore had worked so hard to win this trophy. Shaheen is a superstar to me and to the whole nation he gave us all real backing throughout the event.”
Scores in brief:
Lahore Qalandars 180 for 5, 20 overs (Mohammad Hafeez 69, Harry Brook 41 not out, David Wiese 28 not out; Asif Afridi 3-19)
Multan Sultans 138 all out, 19.3 overs (Khushdil Shah 32, Tim David 27; Shaheen Shah Afridi 3-30, Mohammad Hafeez 2-23, Zaman Khan 2-26)
