Lahore vs Multan Live: Naeem and Pervez Power Qalandars to185 in 13-Over Thriller

In a rain-hit encounter, the Lahore Qalandars turned a truncated 13-over match into a masterclass of modern power-hitting. Defending champions posted a mammoth 185/5, leaving the Multan Sultans with a daunting mountain to climb after choosing to bowl first.

The narrative of the innings belonged almost entirely to Mohammad Naeem. The young opener blazed his way to 60 off just 28 deliveries, punishing anything short or wide. His ability to clear the ropes with effortless timing silenced a Multan bowling attack that looked uncharacteristically rattled by the wet outfield and the lack of grip.

Naeem found an equally aggressive partner in Parvez Hossain Emon. Parvez pierced the gaps in his rapid 45-off-19. The pair put on a clinic in the powerplay, which was reduced to 3.5 overs. By the time Parvez fell to a mistimed pull, the foundation for a massive total had already been laid.

Multan’s captain, Ashton Turner, rotated his bowlers frantically to stem the flow of runs, but the Qalandars' top order refused to let the momentum slip. Abdullah Shafique also played a good innings of 33 off just 14. 

The Sultans' bowling figures made for grim reading. Muhammad Ismail finished with 2/47. Peter Siddle remained consistent with 1/26 in 3 overs. However, Nawaz, Arafat, Mohammad Wasim Jr struggled with their consistency.

As the players headed for the break, the Sultans looked visibly deflated. Chasing nearly 15 runs per over is a tall order in any format, let alone on a surface that has shown some signs of skidding. For Lahore, the job is half-done; for Multan, the hope rests on a miracle from Steve Smith and Sahibzada Farhan.

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