Rilee Rossouw’s half-century was not enough as the Multan Sultans suffered an agonising one-run defeat to the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League final on Saturday.
The Qalandars became the first team to win back-to-back PSL titles.
Captain Shaheen Shah Afridi took 4-51 after smashing a rapid 44* but had to effect a run out at the bowler’s end as Multan’s Khushdil Shah tried to make a third run to force a super over.
The Qalandars had scored 200-6 in their 20 overs before a packed 25,000 Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and the Sultans finished on 199-8.
The Qalandars had also defeated the Sultans in last year’s final.
Shaheen conceded 34 runs in his opening two overs as Sultans raced to 101-1 in 10 overs, with Rossouw (52 off 32 balls) and Mohammad Rizwan (34) adding 64 for the second wicket.
Rossouw – who also lost the SA20 final with the Pretoria Capitals – smashed seven fours and two sixes off just 32 balls. The 33-year-old finished the tournament as the third-highest run-scorer, with 453 in 11 matches at an average of 45.30 and a strike rate of 171.59.
Shaheen returned for his second spell to dismiss Kieron Pollard (19), Tim David (20), Anwar Ali (one) and Usama Mir (nought). With 35 needed in the last two overs, Shah and Abbas Afridi took 22 from Haris Rauf’s 19th over but failed to get 13 in the last.
“We reached the final again and won the title for a second time so that’s a reward for teamwork,” said Shaheen. “We played well in the final but it was a tense win.”
Earlier, the Qalandars were lifted by a rampaging Shaheen who clobbered a 15-ball 44* with five towering sixes and two fours, helping his team smash 85 runs in the last five overs.
Abdullah Shafique top-scored with a 40-ball 65.
Shafique and Fakhar Zaman (39) took the Qalandars to 95-1 after their team won the toss and batted and opener Mirza Baig hammered an 18-ball 30.
But once Zaman was dismissed, the Qalandars lost four wickets in the space of 18 balls, slumping to 112-5.
Shaheen promoted himself to No 7 and instantly made an impact, as he and Shafique hit 24 runs in the 17th over from pacer Ihsanullah.
Leg-spinner Usama Mir was the pick of Sultans’ bowlers with 3-24.
© Agence France-Presse
