Lahore Qalandars Secure Third Final in Four Seasons

Qalandars come out on top in Eliminator 2 against Peshawar Zalmi

Lahore Qalandars will face Multan Sultan in the final of PSL 2023 on March 18th, Saturday at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Defending champions Lahore Qalandars have made it to their third final in the past four seasons following a four-wicket win over Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2. By going against the odds in the all-important clash on Friday night at the Gaddafi Stadium, Qalandars won their first match while chasing in PSL 2023. This win came on the back of a complete team show by Shaheen’s men.

Zalmi’s Batting Performance

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Zalmi lost their find of the season Saim Ayub early by Zaman Khan. Captain Babar Azam and the man-in-form Mohammad Haris then bailed their team out of trouble with an 89-run stand for the second wicket. While Babar missed out on hitting his sixth half-century of PSL 2023, Haris completed his, scoring 85 off 54 balls with 11 fours and two sixes to his name.

Fast bowler Zaman Khan continued his impressive run as he returned with figures of two for 20 in three overs. Star seamer Shaheen Afridi on the other end, conceded at over ten runs per over and only picked one wicket.

Qalandars’ Chase

The chase, however, revolved around opener Mirza Tahir Baig, who scored a 42-ball 54. While wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals, Mirza held one end and played with a cautious approach. Handy cameos from the overseas pair of Sam Billing (28) and all-rounder Sikandar Raza (23) kept Qalandars in the chase as the match entered into the final two overs with the defending champions having their noses ahead.

The late blitz from Shaheen Afridi and experienced David Wiese ensured Qalandars completed the chase with seven balls and four wickets in hand. With this, they also became the first team this season to successfully hunt down a target at this stadium.

Finals Matchup

Shaheen Afridi-led Lahore Qalandars will now take on Multan Sultans in the finals, scheduled for Saturday, March 18th at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Credit: https://www.wionews.com/sports/psl-2023-lahore-qalandars-set-up-final-date-with-multan-sultans-after-win-over-peshawar-zalmi-in-eliminator-2-573202

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