Sultans to battle for survival against Qalandars

By Shafaat Khan
LAHORE: Multan Sultans, who are in difficult state with only two points in their pocket from five games, will be desperately looking to conquer Lahore Qalandars in their very crucial game of the HBL PSL X at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore tonight.
Lahore Qalandars have also their own issues. After managing two successive wins following defeat in their opener against Islamabad United in Pindi Qalandars then lost their next two games against Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi on the trot to find them in difficult situation.
Despite in such a tough situation Multan Sultans skipper Mohammad Rizwan is not much worried and hopes to win their remaining games to qualify for the playoffs.
“We don’t think that we have a margin for only one defeat and we don’t think about it. Teams come to win,” Rizwan told reporters.
“The way points table is going we are not worried as most of the teams are in similar positions. Yes, Islamabad is on the top and has done well,” Rizwan said.
“We know about our mistakes and we are trying to bring improvement and overcome them,” he said.
“If you see Multan Sultans, so, always, we have inexperienced bowlers. We get young players; they click and get ready for Pakistan’s duty. Our fielding is a bit weak and in the PSL conditions you cannot give chance to anyone repeatedly,” he said.
“We had to test different combinations as Shai Hope got ill after three matches and Akif Javed also had niggles in his body. In franchise cricket you play three overseas and emerging also and because of this you have to adjust combination. We have to think about even Pakistan’s current players how to play them. It’s happening so because of the combination settlement issues,” Rizwan said.
Sultans lost their opener against Karachi Kings by four wickets in Karachi despite posting a huge total of 234-3 which Kongs achieved after losing six wickets in the process.
Rizwan had scored 105 not out in the game but his performance was overshadowed by stunning 43-ball 101 by James Vince who won the game for Kings.
Multan then went down to Islamabad United by 47 runs margin in Pindi.
Sultans, set to chase 203, were folded for 155. Jason Holder destroyed Sultans’ batting by taking 4-25.
Peshawar Zalmi then inflicted a record 120-run defeat on Sultans. Sultans were skittled out for 107 while chasing 228. Sultans’ batting failed to negotiate Zalmi’s young pacer Ali Raza who ripped through their batting by taking 4-21.
After losing three matches on trot Sultans eventually defeated Lahore Qalandars by 33 runs in Multan to get two points.
Yasir Khan hammered a 44-ball 87 to enable Sultans to post 228-5.
Qalandars were then restricted to 195-5 with Ubaid Shah (3-38) and spinner Michael Bracewell (2-20) emerging as top bowlers.
However, Sultans could not continue with the same momentum and again lost to Islamabad United this time at home by seven wickets.
Sultans posted 178-5 with Usman Khan scoring 40-ball 61. United chased it by losing three wickets with Andries Gous scoring 45-ball 80 not out while Colin Munro hammering 29-ball 45.
Sultans will need to bring discipline in their line-up of they are to win matches at crucial stages.
They are facing issues in all three departments.
Meanwhile Lahore Qalandars will be looking to not disappoint their die-hard fans at their own backyard again.
Qalandars won matches when their batting clicked. It would be interesting to see how they bat tonight against Sultans which also don’t have big names in their bowling line-up.
Gaddafi Stadium wickets so far have been proved too tricky with low pace and it would be seen how Qalandars deliver in front of what is expected to be a good crowd following low attendance Friday night in the game between Kings and Gladiators.
Qalandars had a poor start to the event when they were defeated by Islamabad United in their opener in Pindi by eight wickets.
Qalandars posted 138 all out with Abdullah Shafique top-scoring 38-ball 66.
United then chased the target with an enviable ease in the 18th over thanks to fine batting from Colin Munro (59*) and Agha Salman (41*).
However early shock did not deter Qalandars and they defeated Quetta Gladiators by 79 runs. Defending 220, they dismissed Gladiators for 140 with spinner Rishad Hussain taking 3-31.
Shaheen Afridi, Asif Afridi and Sikandar Raza took two wickets each.
Qalandars then downed Karachi Kings in Karachi by 65 runs to record their second victory from three games.
Fakhar Zaman (76) and Daryl Mitchell (75) guided Qalandars to 201-6.
They then skittled out Kings for 136 thanks to fine bowling from Rishad (3-36) and Shaheen Afridi (3-34).
The momentum, which Qalandars gained through two successive wins, was again broken by Sultans when they defeated them by 33 runs in Multan.
Chasing 229, Qalandars were restricted to 195-9 with Sikandar Raza preventing his side from utter devastation by a gutsy 27-ball 50 not out.
It was expected that Qalandars will do well at their own backyard but they failed there when they were defeated by Zalmi by seven wickets.
Qalandars posted 129 all out with Sikandar Raza making 37-ball 52.
Alzaari Joseph (3-15) and Luke Wood (2-25) bowled extremely well.
Zalmi chased it down after losing three wickets with Babar Azam top-scoring 56 not out and Hussain Talat making 51 not out.
Shaheen got 2-22.
As both teams are in difficult position and it is expected that it would be a tight clash.