Shaheen, Rizwan praise each other after Lahore Qalandars win maiden PSL trophy

KARACHI: Rival captains Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan praised each other after Lahore Qalandars defeated Multan Sultans in the final of the Pakistan Super League’s seventh edition on Sunday.

The star cricketers took to Twitter and appreciated their teams for their performance and reaching the final of the mega tournament.

Winning captain, Shaheen Afridi credited his team and management for the victory.

“The wait of 7 long years has finally ended. We are PSL champions, Alhumdulillah. Grateful to every single player, coaches, owners, staff and super fans for your belief. You made it possible,” Afridi tweeted.

“Mohammad Rizwan bhai and Multan Sultans, you fought like champions,” he further said.

Earlier, the Multan Sultans skipper had said that Shaheen’s victory is his victory.

After losing the final, the right-hand batter tweeted that Multan Sultans played like champions and champs get up after being knocked out.

“Really happy for LQ. Or @iShaheenAfridi ki jeet, meri jeet hai [Shaheen’s victory is my victory].”

Both Rizwan and Shaheen are good friends and their off-field chemistry is widely acknowledged by their fans. During the PSL too, the Multan Sultans skipper’s humble gesture towards the fast bowler had won hearts.

Match report

On Sunday, former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez starred in Lahore Qalandars’ 42-run win in the final to win the maiden PSL title.

The 41-year-old scored a fighting 46-ball 69 to guide Qalandars to 180-5 after they won the toss and batted before a packed 30,000 Gaddafi stadium.

Hafeez then chipped in with wickets of in-form opener Mohammad Rizwan (14) and Aamer Azmat (six) to bowl the defending champions for 138 in 19.3 overs.

When Shan Masood was run out by a direct throw from Fakhar Zaman for 19 Qalandars had got rid of the prolific rival opening pair and sensed they can win.

From 63-5, Tim David (27) and Khushdil Shah (32) gave the champions hope, but Qalandar skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi sealed the win with wickets of David and David Willey (nought) to finish with 3-30.

Shaheen finished as the top wicket-taker in the league with 20.

The winners get a glittering trophy and a purse of 500,000 US dollars while Sultans received a runners-up purse of 200,00 dollars.

Earlier, Hafeez struck nine boundaries and a six during his knock, lifting Qalandars from a struggling 25-3 during a fourth wickets stand of 54 with Kamran Ghulam (15) and another 58 for the next with Harry Brook who made a fiery 22-ball 41 not out.

Brook, who smashed three sixes and two fours, took 77 in the last five overs with David Wiese partnering through his eight-ball 28 not out, spiced with three sixes and a boundary.