Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
SIKANDAR Raza’s Lahore Qalandars opened a four points gap at the top of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) after registering a 21 runs win over Andy Flower’s Multan Sultans on Saturday.
Batting first, the Qalandars scored 180/9 in 20 overs with Raza, the previous match’s hero scoring 14 runs off eight balls before they went on to restrict their opponents to 159/7 with the Zimbabwe taking one wicket for 10 runs in a single over bowled.
Raza was moved up the order to come in at number five and his innings consisted of one four and as many sixes with the team’s top scorer being Sam Billings with 54 runs off 35 deliveries.
Abdullah Shafique fell two runs short off his half century on 48 runs to guide the defending champions to a defendable total in a top of the table clash. In their defence, Raza got the wicket of danger-man and Sultans captain Mohammad Rizwan for 30 runs off 27 deliveries by trapping him leg before wicket (lbw) in the single over that he bowled.
Leg spinner Rashid Khan starred with the ball for the Qalandars taking 3/15 in four overs to guide his side to victory and making sure that they are on course to defend their title.
The win took the Qalandars to 12 points while second placed Sultans are on eight points followed by Islamabad United also on eight points, separated by net run rate.
Up next for Raza and the Qalandars is a clash against Peshawar Zalmi on Tuesday. – @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter