Abbas bowls Multan to victory against Lahore in HBL PSL

KARACHI: Fast bowler Mohammad Abbas took three wickets to guide Multan Sultans to a convincing seven-wicket win over Lahore Qalandars in the HBL PSL here on Monday.

Abbas finished with 3-22 keeping Lahore down to 140-8 in their 20 overs before opener Shan Masood struck 25-ball 48 with eight boundaries and a six to steer Multan to the target in just 12.3 overs.

The win gave Multan fifth position in the points table with six points in ten matches, a finish they also achieved last year. Lahore had finished fifth and last in the first two editions and sixth and last in the next two.

Lahore managed just six points in ten matches and had a lower net run-rate than Multan.Masood added 50 for the second-wicket with Johnson Charles (25-ball 41 not out with five boundaries and two sixes) to steady the chase after Multan had lost Umar Siddiq (13) at the total of 20.

When Masood got out, Multan needed 18 runs which they scored without any hiccup with more than 40 balls to spare. Abbas said he stuck to the basics which brought him success in Tests. “I made wholehearted effort and stuck to my basics and that gave me success,” said Abbas.

Multan skipper Shoaib Malik said his players did not do justice with their talent. “Overall we played good cricket but luck was not on our side,” said Malik.

Lahore skipper Fakhar Zaman admitted it was a tough tournament for his team. “Yes, it was tough, especially when you lose so many matches,” said Fakhar. “We did learn and got some good bowlers but the end wasn’t ideal,” he added.

Lahore were led by opener Fakhar’s 36-ball 53 which had eight boundaries and a six. Lahore kept losing wickets and never got the impetus for a fighting total. Off-spinner Chris Green, who took 1-25 in his four overs, provided Multan the breakthrough when he dismissed Rikki Wessels for four before Abbas took over.

Abbas celebrated his inclusion in the Pakistan team for the ODI series against Australia starting next week by dismissing Sohail Akhtar (five), David Wiese (30) and Saad Ali (eight) in an incisive spell of fast bowling.

Crowd favourite Shahid Afridi marked his first appearance in an HBL PSL match in Pakistan with a spell of two for 18 off his four overs.Wiese tried his best to lift the innings during his 22-ball knock, which included two sixes and as many boundaries. Asela Gunaratne chipped in with a brisk 12 but lost his wicket when Lahore needed him the most. Quetta Gladiators topped the table with 14 points.

Multan Sultans won toss

Lahore Qalandars

*Fakhar Zaman c Shan b Afridi 53

†M H Wessels b Green 4

Sohail Akhtar c Christian b Abbas 5

Haris Sohail c Christian b Afridi 7

Saad Ali b Abbas 8

D Wiese c Vince b Abbas 30

D A S Gunaratne lbw b Ilyas 12

Hassan Khan not out 6

Shaheen Shah Afridi run out 3

Haris Rauf not out 6

Extras (lb 6) 6

Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 140

Did not bat: S Lamichhane

Fall: 1-27, 2-39, 3-59, 4-78, 5-94, 6-124, 7-127, 8-134

Bowling: Abbas 4-0-22-3; Ilyas 4-0-33-1; Green 4-0-25-1; Junaid 4-0-36-0; Afridi 4-0-18-2

Multan Sultans

†Umar Siddiq run out 13

J M Vince c Fakhar b Shaheen 25

Shan Masood c Umair (sub) b Wiese 48

J Charles not out 41

Shahid Afridi not out 3

Extras (b 4, lb 5, nb 1, w 1) 11

Total (3 wickets; 12.3 overs) 141

Did not bat: D T Christian, *Shoaib Malik, C J Green, Mohammad Ilyas, Mohammad Abbas, Junaid Khan

Fall: 1-20, 2-70, 3-123

Bowling: Shaheen 2-0-25-1 (w 1); Haris 3-0-29-0; Hassan 2-0-27-0; Lamichhane 2.3-0-28-0; Wiese 2-0-15-1 (nb 1); Gunaratne 1-0-8-0

Result: Multan Sultans won by 7 wickets

Man of the Match: Mohammad Abbas (MS)

Umpires: Michael Gough (England) and Rashid Riaz (Pakistan). TV umpire: Shozab Raza (Pakistan). Match referee: Muhammad Javed (Pakistan)