Naeem and Emon Power Qalandars to Rain-Affected Win
Lahore Qalandars secured a commanding 20-run victory over Multan Sultans in a rain-shortened PSL 2026 clash, with Mohammad Naeem and Emon leading the charge. Naeem’s innings set the tone as Qalandars posted 185 for 5 in a 13-over contest, before restricting Sultans to 165 for 5 to win via the DLS method.
The match, reduced due to evening rain, turned into a high-scoring encounter where Lahore’s explosive start proved decisive.
Qalandars’ top order dominates early
Lahore Qalandars made a blistering start, racing to 134 in the first eight overs.
Mohammad Naeem struck 60, bringing up a rapid half-century off just 24 balls, while Emon added 45 in a strong top-order display.
The early overs saw relentless hitting, with 85 runs coming in the first 27 balls without loss. Multan struggled for control, with wayward bowling and fielding lapses compounding their problems.
Arafat Minhas’ over summed up the chaos, conceding 26 runs that included two no-balls, four byes and two sixes.
Despite a late slowdown, Lahore still managed 185 for 5, with Peter Siddle’s 1 for 26 in three overs standing out as a rare disciplined effort. His final over ended with five overthrows, highlighting Multan’s difficult outing in the field.
Early wickets derail Sultans’ chase
Multan Sultans’ chase never gained momentum due to a disciplined bowling performance from Lahore in the powerplay.
Shaheen Shah Afridi, Ubaid Shah and Mustafizur Rahman combined effectively, conceding just 27 runs during the fielding restrictions and removing key batters.
Steve Smith was bowled by Shaheen after struggling for fluency, while Ubaid dismissed Josh Philippe cheaply. Sahibzada Farhan also fell after a brief stay, leaving Sultans well behind the required rate.
Late fightback falls short
Shan Masood and Ashton Turner attempted to revive the chase with aggressive innings.
Masood struck 44 off 17 balls, while Turner remained unbeaten on 52. The pair led a late surge that saw Multan score 136 runs in the final nine overs.
However, the early damage proved too significant, and despite the acceleration, Sultans fell short of the revised target.
What this means
Lahore Qalandars’ victory highlights the importance of maximising the powerplay in shortened matches, where early momentum can define the outcome.
For Multan Sultans, the defeat underlines how costly early overs can be in rain-affected games, even when the middle and lower order respond strongly.
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