Dubai (February 23, 2018): Multan Sultan on Friday defeated the defending champion Peshawar Zalmi by seven wickets in the Pakistan Super League-3 opener here at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Multan Sultans sent shockwaves through the Pakistan Super League on Thursday by inflicting a seven-wicket defeat on reigning champions Peshawar Zalmi in the opening encounter of the tournament in Dubai.
Senior player Kumar Sangakkara scored a 57-run inning, which included three boundaries and two sixes. He was awarded with ‘Man of the Match.
‘ Sultans’ skipper Shaoib Malik showed his stellar performance with a knock of 42 off 30, he scored two sixes and two fours in his innings.
19.1 Shoaib Malik scores the match-winning six for Multan Sultans! pic.twitter.com/ZyCfm5hDEe
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 22, 2018
The Sultans were wobbled at the start of their innings when they lost opener Ahmed Shehzad for a duck in pursuit of the 152-run target set by Peshawar Zalmi.
After that early setback, Kumar Sangakkara stabilised the ship as Sohaib Maqsood went on the offensive, pulling Hammad Azam for a six.
Old war horses @KumarSanga2 and @realshoaibmalik have brought the @MultanSultans to the cusp of a win, but @PeshawarZalmi aren’t going to give up without a fight. #HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe pic.twitter.com/VNj6ZeGueE
— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 22, 2018
After seven overs, Zalmi introduced 19-year-old leg-spinner Ibtisam Sheikh into the attack, hoping for a breakthrough.
50 comes up for Multan Sultans!
Watch the match at https://t.co/tYXXKcO6GS#HBLPSL #DilSeJaanLagaDe #PZvMS #Cricingif pic.twitter.com/rE7rZuijBb— PakistanSuperLeague (@thePSLt20) February 22, 2018
The youngster impressed in his first over but the breakthrough that the champions needed was provided from the other end by left-arm spinner Mohammad Asghar.
Maqsood came down the track, took needless risk and ended up throwing away his wicket like he used to playing for Pakistan.
Speaking after the match, the former Sri Lankan skipper said: “I think the boys did really really well. We could have tightened it up a little bit, but Shoaib was just outstanding. He’s such a great player,” adding, “I think you need a good mixture of young talent and experience and we’ve got that. Hopefully it’ll get better.”
Earlier in the first innings, skipper Sammy played a brief yet fiery innings of 29 runs off 11 bowls, while Hafeez scored half-century today.
Sohail Tanveer bowled the first bowl of the match which undoubtedly stunned Bangladesh and Peshawar Zalmi batsman Tamim Iqbal.
Iqbal survived by taking a review on a decision given by umpire on the second delivery of the first over of fast bowler Muhammad Irfan but the bowler was successful to bag Kamran Akmal’s wicket on the fifth delivery of his over. 
Muhammad Irfan had his second wicket after Junaid Khan with his super effort took a spectacular catch of Iqbal on the third delivery of his second over.
Dwayne Smith hit the first six of the tournament on the bowl of leg-spinner Imran Tahir, the batsman also survived a faulty decision on the lbw appeal after taking a review on the bowler’s delivery.
But later in the match a flipper by Tahir trapped Smith in giving an easy catch to Kieron Pollard.
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PSL 3: Peshawar Zalmi Set 152 Runs Target For Multan Sultans
