Multan Sultans win their first PSL title after defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final

Multan Sultans won their first Pakistan Super League trophy by defeating Peshawar Zalmi in the final by 47 runs.

Sohaib Maqsood hit an unbeaten 65 to mark his return to Pakistan after a five-year absence, and Rilee Rossouw saved his best for the final, slamming 50 off 21 balls in Multan’s imposing total of 206-4.

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Peshawar, who chose to chase after winning the toss, gained some early momentum through to veteran Shoaib Malik’s 47 off 28 balls, but they were eventually dismissed for 159-9.

Imran Tahir took his three wickets in his final over, while Zimbabwean fast bowler Blessing Muzarabbani took the crucial wicket of power-hitter Hazratullah Zazai early in the innings to take the sting out of Peshawar’s run chase.

Multan re-entered the tournament strongly when the league was shifted to Abu Dhabi this month, winning four of its past five league games. It also defeated Islamabad United in the qualifying round.

Multan struggled in Karachi, winning only one of five games until the league was suspended in February after numerous players and support staff tested positive for the coronavirus.

Peshawar was unlucky for the third time, losing in the final after 2018 and 2019.

Maqsood was crucial in Multan’s turnaround in the competition, as he showed his aggressive batting by finishing with 428 runs.

By the midway mark, Peshawar skipper Wahab Riaz appeared to have the final under control, but in the 11th over, Hazratullah Zazai dropped Maqsood on 6 at extra cover, which proved costly.

As Riaz and Amad Butt concluded with identical expensive figures of 0-52, Maqsood and Rossouw collaborated for a 98-run partnership off only 44 balls. Multan added 124 runs in the last nine overs to take the game away from Peshawar, with both batsmen hitting 11 fours and six sixes.

Sameen Gul, who came in after Umaid Asif was suspended on Thursday for breaking the bio-security bubble, took 2-26 as the rest of the bowlers battled to control Maqsood and Rossouw’s free-flowing hitting.