Observer Report Abu Dhabi
Sohaib Maqsood’s outstanding batting performance followed by brilliant bowling from veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir was enough for Multan Sultans to clinch the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 title after a thumping 47-run win against Peshawar Zalmi in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
After being asked to bat first, Sultans never looked in any sort of trouble and managed to post a mammoth total of 206 for the loss of four wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
The star of the show was Sohaib Maqsood who scored a brilliant 65 off 35 balls with the help of six fours and three sixes.
He was well-supported by Rilee Rossouw who scored 50 off just 21 balls with the help of five fours and three sixes. The duo was involved in a 98-run partnership for the third wicket off just 44 balls.
For Zalmi, young pacers Sameen Gul and Mohammad Imran claimed two wickets each. In reply, Peshawar had a tough beginning and lost the first three wickets for just 58 runs in the 10th over.
However, a fourth-wicket partnership of 66 runs kept Zalmi alive in the contest.
But a flurry of wickets left a little too much to do for the lower order and the side was restricted to 159 for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Malik finished the innings with the top score of 48 off 28 balls with the help of three fours and three sixes.
For Sultans, leggie Tahir was the star performer as he claimed three wickets.