LAHORE: Multan Sultans chase faltered despite a spirited fightback, as Lahore Qalandars maintained control of the match under pressure.
The required run rate continued to rise, placing increasing strain on the batting side. The breakthrough came when Mustafizur Rahman dismissed Shan Masood lbw for 44 with a well-disguised full toss, halting Multan’s momentum at a crucial stage.
Ashton Turner mounted a strong resistance, playing an aggressive and composed innings. He brought up a quick half-century off just 22 balls, striking two fours and five sixes with clean hitting down the ground and over midwicket.
Despite his efforts, the mounting pressure of the chase proved difficult to overcome.Arafat Minhas provided late fireworks with a brisk 25 off 11 deliveries, including two towering sixes. However, his cameo was cut short in the final over when Sikandar Raza had him caught in the deep.
Turner remained unbeaten on 52 off 22 balls, but Multan ultimately fell 20 runs short of the target.Mustafizur Rahman was the standout performer with the ball for Lahore Qalandars, finishing with figures of 2 for 37 in three overs.
His variations, particularly his cutters, proved highly effective during the middle overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Ubaid Shah, and Sikandar Raza chipped in with one wicket each, while Haris Rauf and the rest of the bowling unit maintained disciplined lines and lengths throughout the innings.
The victory underlined Lahore Qalandars’ all-round strength, combining explosive batting with controlled and disciplined bowling in challenging conditions. Their openers laid a strong foundation that ultimately proved decisive.
For Multan Sultans, the defeat exposed shortcomings in their bowling attack and their inability to handle scoreboard pressure, despite commendable performances from Shan Masood and Ashton Turner.
Lahore will take significant confidence from this dominant display, while Multan will need to regroup quickly and address key weaknesses ahead of their next match.