LAHORE: An innings-building blistering knock by Kieron Pollard and an inspired bowling spell from Sheldon Cottrell helped Multan Sultans beat reigning champions Lahore Qalandars by 84 runs in the qualifier and qualify for the third consecutive final of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) 8 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday night.

It was the second consecutive defeat for the Lahore Qalandars in as many matches who fell for 76 runs in 14.3 overs while chasing a target of 161 runs set by Multan Sultans while they had also lost to Karachi Kings in their last match of the group stage against Karachi Kings when they were bundled out for 110 runs.

The Lahore Qalandars may still make to the final if they win the qualifier 2 on March 17 (Friday).

Sheldon Cottrell was the tormentor-in-chief for Qalandars as he claimed three wickets for 20 runs in his opening spell of three overs while Anwar Ali bagged one wicket for 13 runs in as many overs.

The Sultans were equally brilliant in the field as they took acrobatic catches and run Hussain Talat out off a superb throw from Usman Khan.

With a wind-storm lashing at the Gaddafi stadium during the Qalandars innings, the Qalandars batting line-up proved a house of cards as the batters were swept away by a literal bowling storm from the Sultans.

Sam Billings 19 (27), Haris Rauf 15 (10) and David Wiese 12 (12) were the only batters to record double-figures scores while the rest of the batters were back to the hut in single figure.

Four batters for Qalandars including Abdullah Shafique, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Rashid Khan and Zaman Khan could not open their account.

Mirza Tahir scored 8 (9), Fakhar Zaman 6 (7) Sikandar Raza 1 (3) and Hussain Talat 4 (10) were the other batters who fell cheaply.

Abbas Afridi and Usama Mir bagged two wickets each for 5 and 12 runs respectively while Cottrell claimed three wickets for 20 runs.

Ihsanullah produced another fearsome spell of fast bowling and conceded 18 runs for one wicket, Abbas Afridi claimed one wicket for 5 runs while Kieron Pollard claimed one wicket for three runs in the only over he bowled and was adjudged ‘player of the match’ for his all-round performance.

Earlier, Kieron Pollard proved his worth for being the most sought-after T20 player through a knock of 54 laced with six 6s and a boundary to help Multan Sultan reach a par total of 160-4 after they languished at 97-3 at the close of the 15th over of their innings.

Kieron Pollard took special liking to the bowling of Shaheen Shah Afridi whom he hit four 6s including three 6s in the penultimate over of the Sultans innings.

He also hit a six each against Rashid Khan and Haris Rauf as Pollard and Tim David plundered 63 runs of the last five overs of the Sultans’ innings and helped Sultans reach a total of respectability although Haris Rauf grabbed two wickets in the last over of the innings and conceded only five runs.

Haris Rauf was the most successful bowler for the Qalandars who picked three wickets for 34 runs in his quota of four overs while Rashid Khan and Zaman Khan picked one wicket each for 18 and 36 runs respectively in four overs each.

David Wiese bowled an economical bowling spell for 24 runs while Shaheen Shah Afridi was the most expensive as he gave away 47 runs in four overs without a wicket.

Qalandars were not as brilliant in the field as they usually are and dropped three catches of, interestingly, Kieron Pollard who went on to hit 54 off 34 balls including a boundary and six 6s.

Earlier, Mohammad Rizwan 33 (29) and Usman Khan 29 (28) scored 53 runs for the first wicket while Rossouw 13 (12) and Khushdil Shah 0 (1) could not make an impact.

Tim David 22 (15) and Anwar Ali 1 (1) remained unbeaten for Sultans.

Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan, earlier, won the toss and elected to bat and his decision paid dividends as the wicket played slow with every passing ball.

Peshawar Zalmi will face off Islamabad United in the qualifier on March 16 (tomorrow) at the same venue at 7 p.m.

Cricket, PSL 8: Multan Beats Lahore to Reach the Final

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