“Started from the bottom, now we're here,” If anything that could describe the journey of the Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League 2021, it is these lines by Drake. The journey has been such that nobody gave any chance to the Mohammad Rizwan led side after the end of the first leg in Karachi.
They came to Abu Dhabi being at the bottom of the table alongside Quetta Gladiators, having just two points from five games. But, now they are the champions of the Pakistan Super League beating the one time champion and four-time finalists Peshawar Zalmi in their very first attempt at the Championship.
In the final, the Sultans were on top of their game in every aspect. The only thing that the Rizwan led side lost in the game was the toss, post that it was all domination from the team from Southern Punjab. With the help of a steady opening partnership of 68 by skipper Rizwana and Shan Masood, the Sultans got off to a great start and the shoulders of the Zalmis started dropping from thereon.
Adding to the drudgery of the Peshawar team was dropping Sohaib Maqsood’s catch by Hazratullah Zazai when the former was at just six. Maqsood made the Zalmi pay for it big time, hitting an unbeaten 65 off 35 balls. He along with Rilee Rossouw created a storm in the Sheikh Zayed Stadium of Abu Dhabi.
The two added 98 off just 44 balls and forced the Multan side to get near 200. When Rossouw got out after completing his 20 balls 50, Khushdil Shah came along and played a cameo of five balls 15 runs to get the team to 206-4.
The chase of Zalmi never got going in the first half of the innings as they were struggling in the sixties with three wickets down in such a big chase. Shoaib Malik and Rivaman Powell tried to bring things under control and at one point with 70 needed in the last five overs, and the two of them at the crease, the probability of a dream comeback seemed possible for a moment.
But that wasn’t going to be the case, as just after the strategic timeout Blessing Muzarabani Struck with fuller length outside off which Powell nicked to Rizwan behind the stumps. Malik’s stay post that wasn’t long either as he was caught at deep square leg by Imran Tahir off a Sohail Tanvir slower bouncer.
Post that it was all formalities and Tahir made sure that those formalities were completed as quickly as possible, removing Sherfane Rutherford, Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Imran in just one over. Zalmi, however, didn’t get all our as Sameen Gul and Mohammad Irfan played out the last three overs before handing the Sultans a huge 47 run win to lift the trophy.
For Sultans, Tahir was the pick of the bowlers as he ended with 3/33 in his four overs while 39-year-old Malik was the highest scorer for Zalmi with his 28 balls 48. Sohaib Maqsood who has been drafted into the Pakistan squad dramatically after disciplinary actions against Haider Ali was awarded Man of the Match as well as Man of the Series. He scored 428 runs in 12 innings throughout the tournament. His average of 47.55 and his strike rate of 156.77 was the highest among all batters from Multan Sultans
Shahnawaz Dahani [Dhani] was adjudged the Best Emerging Player of the Tournament as he also ended as the highest wicket-taker to win the prestigious Fazal Mahmood cap with 20 wickets in 11 innings.