The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWEAN fast bowler, Blessing Muzarabani was outstanding with ball in hand for the Multan Sultans when he picked up two wickets for 26 runs in four overs as the Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs to win the Pakistan Super League in the final played at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Muzarabani had a brilliant economy rate of 6.5 an over, the best by a Sultans bowler on the night, which goes to show how brilliant the Zimbabwean was in the final.
It is the first time that the Multan Sultans, a team coached by Zimbabwean legend Andy Flower has ever won the PSL since the league started in 2016. The Sultans have been part of the PSL since 2017 and had never been to the final until they did so this year.
When the PSL resumed in the UAE on 9 June, the Sultans were dead and buried since they had won just one of the five matches they had played in Pakistan before the tournament was halted due to the coronavirus.
They went on to win six of the seven matches they played in the UAE, with their only defeat coming against Islamabad United who beat the Sultans by four wickets in the last PSL preliminary round fixture. Flower’s men got their revenge in the qualifier when they beat Islamabad United by 31 runs to book their place in the final.
Muzarabani got the wickets of the big hitting duo of Hazratullah Zazai and Rovman Powell, with the Peshawar Zalmi restricted to 159/9 in 20 overs. Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik top scored for the Peshawar Zalmi with 48 off 28 balls.
This was after the Sultans scored 206/4 in 20 overs after they lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Sohaib Maqsood was the highest run scorer for the Sultans with an unbeaten 64 while South African Rilee Rossouw was second best with 50.
Kamran Akmal and Zazai gave Peshawar Zalmi a flying start in their un chase when they raced to 36 for no loss in five overs, the latter being the more aggressive of the two. Akmal reached 36 off 27 when his opening partner was still to get off the mark.
Zazai hit the first ball from Muzarabani’s second over for a six but the Zimbabwean had the last laugh when found the breakthrough for the Sultans with the very next delivery. The Bangladesh batsman tried to cut a delivery off Muzarabani but the ball popped up to Shan Masood who took the catch.
Akmal followed his opening partner when he was bowled by Imran Khan for 36. Rossouw and Sohail Tanvir combined to run out Australian Jonathan Wells for six, which saw the Peshawar Zalmi run-rate brought down.
Muzarabani picked up his second wicket when he dismissed West Indian Powell for 23.
Pakistan born South African leg spinner, Imran Tahir got in on the act with three wickets in a single over that took the game away from Peshawar Zalmi. Tahir finished with 3/33 in four overs.
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