Maqsood, Rossouw power Sultans to 206-4 in HBL PSL 6 final

Sohaib Maqsood and Rilee Rossouw’s 98-run partnership helped Multan Sultans post 206-4 against Peshawar Zalmi in the final of HBL PSL 6.

Sameen Gul, who replaced Umaid Asif in the final, troubled Shan Masood with his swing initially, giving only one run in his first over.

At the other end, Mohammad Rizwan decided to take on Mohammad Irfan, hitting the lanky pacer for a six and a four in the powerplay.

After struggling to find the required connection in Sameen Gul’s first two overs, Masood also finally got the better of the right-arm pacer as he accumulated three boundaries in the fifth over of the innings.

Sultans’ openers were accelerating at will when emerging pacer Mohammad Imran put his hand up and delivered the goods as he broke 68-run partnership by dismissing Masood for 37. Masood tried to charge Imran but missed the slower ball, which shattered his stumps.

Imran’s night only became better when he induced an edge from Rizwan, to pick his second as the Sultans captain was caught behind for 30.

Sohaib Maqsood decided to up the ante after Rizwan’s departure and dispatched Zalmi skipper Wahab Riaz for two boundaries and a six in the 13th over.

Rilee Rossouw made his intentions clear straight away as he took a particular liking to Ammad Butt and hit the all-rounder for two sixes.

Zalmi were banking on Imran to break another crucial partnership. However, the emerging pacer couldn’t control the flow of runs, with Maqsood continuing his rich vein of form to bring up his fifty in just 26 balls.

Rossouw saved his best knock of the season for the final as the left-hander brought up his fifty in only 20 balls. Rossouw departed on the next ball after reaching his fifty, but that didn’t slow down Maqsood as his unbeaten 65-run knock, along with Khushdil Shah’s two sixes in the final over, took Sultans to a mammoth total.