Lahore Qalandars Suffer Third Consecutive Defeat, Fall to Multan Sultans in PSL 2024

Multan Sultans continued their impressive start to the season, securing a thrilling five-wicket victory over defending champions Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. The match, a rematch of last season’s final, saw skipper Mohammad Rizwan leading from the front with a brilliant 82 off 59 balls, laying the foundation for Sultans’ successful chase of 167.

Despite a valiant effort from Lahore Qalandars, who posted a competitive total of 166 for 5 thanks to contributions from Rassie van der Dussen (54) and Fakhar Zaman (41), it was Iftikhar Ahmed’s explosive unbeaten 34 off 11 balls that sealed the win for Multan Sultans. His blistering innings included two sixes and three fours in the penultimate over, leaving Lahore Qalandars’ much-trumpeted pace attack, led by Shaheen Shah Afridi, struggling once again.

While Qalandars’ bowling attack, missing the services of injured Rashid Khan, showed promise with the inclusion of George Linde (1 for 26), it was Mohammad Ali’s impressive spell (2 for 28) that made the difference for Multan Sultans. Despite dropping four catches, including two by Khushdil Shah, Sultans managed to restrict Qalandars and maintain their unbeaten streak at home.

With this victory, Multan Sultans sit comfortably at the top of the table with six points from three consecutive wins, while Lahore Qalandars are yet to register their first win of the PSL 2024 season. The result highlights Sultans’ strong start to the tournament and raises questions about Qalandars’ ability to defend their title.