Multan Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi to win the Pakistan Super League for the first time in their history with Sohaib Maqsood dominating.
Follow Us
For a long time in the Pakistan Super League 2021, Multan Sultans were not considered a worthy title contender. They finished second from bottom in the first two editions of the Pakistan Super League. The team were knocked off in the Eliminator in PSL 2020. But, in a postponed Pakistan Super League in 2021, Multan Sultans finally got the monkey off their back. From being at the bottom of the table, they reached the summit in grand style. In the final in Abu Dhabi, Multan Sultans put up a fine show as they beat Peshawar Zalmi for their maiden title.
It was heartbreak for Peshawar Zalmi yet again in the Pakistan Super League. The team has lost in the finals three times in three out of the last four editions, having won it for the first time in 2017. 2018, 2019 and now 2021, Peshawar Zalmi’s horror run has now made them a franchise that stumbles in the summit clash consistently, much like the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Sohaib Maqsood and Shahnawaz Dhani emerged as the stars of the Pakistan Super League. Dhani topped the wicket-takers with 20 from 11 games at an average of 17. In the batting, Mohammad Rizwan and the skipper and Sohaib Maqsood led from the front with an average of 45 and 47.
Peshawar Zalmi chose to bowl but their plans were immediately thwarted. Rizwan once again showed the form that has seen him perform brilliantly in all formats for Pakistan in the last one year. Shan Masood and Rizwan shared a brilliant 68-run stand for the opening wicket in just 8.4 overs. Although both openers fell in a short space, the match was dominated by Maqsood and Rillee Rossouw.
Maqsood set the ball rolling by thumping Wahab Riaz for two fours and a six. Andy Flower, the coach of Multan Sultans, was a happy man seeing the start by Maqsood and Rossouw. The former South Africa player joined the fun with two sixes and a four off Amad Butt in the 15th over. Maqsood and Rossouw regularly found the fence and it was Maqsood who notched up his fifty.
The carnage by Rossouw and Maqsood saw Multan Sultans blast 67 runs in the final five overs. Multan Sultans ended on 206/4 and Peshawar Zalmi were already on the backfoot. Kamran Akmal started off like a train as he raced to 36. But, his dismissal triggered a collapse that Zalmi being reduced to 58/3. Rovman Powell and Shoaib Malik stitched a 66-run stand that kept them in the game but the asking rate mounted. When Sohail Tanvir and Blessing Muzarabani removed the two set players, the game was up. Imran Tahir ran through the tail to take three wickets as Multan Sultans won by 47 runs.
After the match, Rizwan highlighted the journey of the Multan Sultans in PSL 2021. “We bounced back from the bottom of the table. The final match was a pressure game. I told my boys during time-out, that there will be pressure. We had decided to bat first. We tried to stay calm in face of pressure. When you go for a win, you do ignore a few things. Sohaib Maqsood used to bat down the order in Pakistan but we tried him out at the top-order here,” Rizwan said.
Rishabh Pant's explosive last-over blitz ignites IPL 2024 amid T20 World Cup comeback talks
