Multan: Shaheen Shah Afridi made a stunning return to competitive cricket after three months out as he led defending champions Lahore Qalandars to a thrilling one-run win over Multan Sultans in the opening game of the Pakistan Super League.
Multan, which lost last year’s final to Lahore, couldn’t capitalize on captain Mohammad Rizwan’s 75 off 50 balls as it was restricted to 174-6 by brilliant death bowling from pacemen Afridi (1-27) and Haris Rauf (1-37).
Earlier, Fakhar Zaman struck 66 off 42 balls with five sixes and three fours in Lahore’s total of 175-6.
Afridi couldn’t pick up a wicket in the first two overs of his comeback game, after injuring his knee during the final of the T20 World Cup against England in Melbourne in November, but squeezed Multan in his last two.
Rizwan and Shan Masood (35) shared a century opening stand before Masood fell to Hussain Talat and Afridi bowled Rizwan with a superb off-cutter.
Rauf then bowled David Miller (25), leaving Multan needing 15 off the final six balls.
Lahore’s young fast bowler Zaman Khan kept his cool in the last over as Kieron Pollard was run-out off the second ball and Khushdil Shah’s back-to-back boundaries off the final two deliveries couldn’t take Multan across the line.
Both teams observed a minute’s silence before the game for the thousands who have died in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
PTI
