After roughly 10 of the overs, Karachi Kings appeared to be cruising to victory, but for the remaining 30, Multan Sultans completely surpassed them. You perform the math. But, in a contest for the ages, the numbers were the biggest irrelevance of all.
In a PSL classic, Imad Wasim needed five runs off the last ball to complete the ultimate heist. The story of how we got there is epic in and of itself, but in its climax, Imad couldn’t quite pull it off, and Multan celebrated a three-run victory that was hardly possible.
The Kings needed 37 off the final 9 balls and were seemingly doomed ten minutes ago, but it seems like an hour ago. Wides, no-balls, nervous breakdowns, and Imad himself somehow reduced it to 6 from the final four while raking in 31 off the following 5 balls. It is a mathematical impossibility, as you may recall.
Yet, it wasn’t PSL-impossible. Ben Cutting was dismissed with two balls remaining after Abbas Afridi appeared to lose his control at the crucial moment. Imad went on strike for one last attempt at achieving eternity’s glory by the Kings. Imad’s eyes glinted when the Kings lost and a jam-packed Multan stadium jubilated.
After their crushing victory over Lahore Qalandars on Sunday when they batted first, Karachi won the toss and curiously decided to field. Shan Masood, who had been in inconsistent form up until today, got off to a much better start and passed his captain in the Powerplay.
After the first six, the Sultans gained the upper hand thanks to a 31-ball 50 from the left-hander as Mohammad Rizwan scrambled and fumbled, unable to quite find his normal timing. Multan had 84 in the first ten, and the stage was set when Masood sent one down Imran Tahir’s wicket.
Rilee Rossouw should have entered at this point, but Rizwan would shine the brightest in the last few overs. The Sultans captain had three half centuries in four innings before today’s match, but he would cap it off with an incredible century.
It took him just 18 balls to go from his fifty to his hundred, and he did it in style with a couple of sixes and a scrambled couple as the Kings lost their focus in the field.
He will close with an undefeated 110 off 64, giving the audience there an innings to remember. At that point, a ragged Karachi appeared to be in the terminal stages of defeat after the final six overs produced 85 runs for the Sultans.
Nonetheless, James Vince started off strong. He destroyed Multan’s bowling attack in an incredible powerplay that saw the Kings score 72 runs in the first six overs. On the powerplay, there were eight fours and five sixes.
Although Matthew Wade served as a helpful support act, the Englishman was the main focus. He needed 20 deliveries to reach 50, but with a massive six over cow corner, the Kings appeared to be on track.
They might have remained there up until Vince and Haider Ali made a tragic mistake. Vince was the one who was knocked out of the brawl and watched from the dugout as his teammates failed to take the cross.
Multan applied the squeeze successfully and appeared to be on pace for a comfortable victory in the end, but Shoaib Malik struggled throughout a scratchy innings. This was especially true when the equation read 37 off 9.
But the drama was just getting started. With 22 needed off the last over, Imad Wasim ripped Mohammad Ilyas for a pair of sixes, and a neck-high full toss that went for six put the Kings in command. Cutting would hit Afridi for the largest six of the game, putting his team only one hit away from victory.
But, Multan and an electrifying crowd had the final giggle in a game that everyone involved will never forget as that hit proved difficult.