DUBAI: Multan Sultans inflicted a seven-wicket defeat on defending champions Peshawar Zalmi in the first match of the third edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Dubai on Thursday.
Kumar Sangakkara finished as the top scorer for Multan Sultans with 57 off 51 balls, whereas Malik scored an unbeaten 42 off 30 balls, helping the newcomers beat Peshawar Zalmi.
Batting first, Zalmi posted a competitive total of 151 for the loss of six wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
In response, Multan Sultans achieved the target in 19.1 overs for the loss of three wickets.
Muhammad Hafeez’s quick 50 was the highlight of Zalmi’s innings as skipper Sammy later hit successive boundaries to make 29 off 11 balls to put up the total after Sultan’s captain Shoaib Malik won the toss and chose to field first.
The new entrant Multan were off to a good start as they got the early breakthrough in second over when opener Kamran Akmal (o) was failed to tackle the bouncer of Muhammad Irfan and gives a simple catch in the hands of Viljoen.
Immediately in the fourth over Multan got another crucial breakthrough when struggling opener Tamim, who made run-a-ball 11, caught superbly by Junaid Khan on third man position. The wicket of Tamim left Peshawar struggling on 22-2 in 3.3 overs.
Dwayne Smith and Muhammad Hafeez added 35 on third wicket but later on Dwayne got out off Imran Tahir’s bowl in 10th over giving a simple catch to Kieron Pollard.
Haris Sohail joined Hafeez at the crease on 57-3 and then both put together 44 runs on fourth wicket before Haris walked out giving away a simple catch off viljoens.
Skipper Darren Sammy joined Hafeez on 101-4 and both included 31 runs to the total. Hafeez after making valuable 59 dragged slower bowl of Junaid into the mid-riff of the fielder where sohaib took a simple catch.
Darren Sammy quick-fire 29 off 11 balls helped Peshawar to reach 151-6.
Muhammad Irfan from Multan took two wickets while Sohail Tanveer, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir and Viljeon bagged one wicket each.
It is pertinent to mention here that Peshawar Zalmi were the victors of last season of the PSL and Multan Sultans are the new entrants by this season.
Playing-XI:
Peshawar Zalmi: Darren Sammy (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Ibtisam Sheikh, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Hammad Azam, Kamran Akmal, Chris Jordan, Wahab Riaz,Dwayne Smith and Muhammad Asghar.
Multan Sultans: Shoaib Malik (captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Sohaib Maqsood, Saif Badar, Sohail Tanvir, Kieron Pollard, Kumar Sangakara, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Imran Tahir, and Hardus Viljoen.
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