Lahore Qalandars reach PSL final after beating Islamabad United by six runs in nail-biting clash
- 26 Feb 2022
Lahore Qalandars reached the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final after a thrilling come-from-behind six-run victory over Islamabad United on Friday.
Lahore, playing for its first title, will meet the defending champion Multan Sultans in the final on Sunday. Lahore lost its only previous final appearance in 2020.
Two-time champion Islamabad needed only 39 off the last five overs with five wickets in hand but, in a sensational collapse, lost the last three wickets for just one run to be bowled out for 162 in 19.4 overs.
Earlier, the Namibian all-rounder smashed 27 in Qalandars' 20th and last over to guide them to a fighting total of 168-7. He then defended just eight runs in United's last over to give the capacity 30,000 crowd an edge-of-the-seat finish. Wiese bowled the critical final over against Islamabad and conceded only one run.
No.9 batsman Mohammad Wasim refused singles off Wiese’s first two deliveries then was run out while attempting to run two. Last man Waqas Maqsood was caught at deep midwicket, and Lahore erupted in joy.
Fast bowler Haris Rauf brought Lahore back in the game when top-scorer Azam Khan (40) was run out off a direct throw in the 14th over, and Alex Hales (38) followed after being caught at extra cover. Rauf took out Asif Ali on 25 in the penultimate over.
When Lahore batted, it was generally contained until Wiese smashed three sixes and a four in left-arm fast bowler Maqsood’s last over of the innings which went for 27 runs and gave Lahore just enough runs to defend.
Associated Press
