March 18, 2023
Pakistan is a country where cricket forms the very lifeblood of millions of people. Regardless of the political, economic, and social crises that plague the country and the countless divisive factors that alienate people, there is one thing that brings people together — the love for cricket.
The day has been a turbulent one on the political front; however, it seems that when all is done and over the love that Pakistanis have for cricket triumphs.
That seems to be the case for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as well, who took to Twitter to share his enthusiasm for the sport on the day which is also the tournament final of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The premier wrote: "Another Afridi with such power hitting … "
During the match, Lahore Qalandars won the toss and opted to bat first. They set a target of 201 runs for their formidable adversaries Multan Sultans, at a loss of six wickets in 20 overs.
After a brisk start, where the Qalandars scored 34 runs in the first three overs, opener Tahir Baig was dismissed by Ihsanullah with a sharp short ball. The right-hander scored 30 runs in 18 balls.
Later, Fakhar Zaman and Abdullah Shafique added 57 runs in 38 balls for the second wicket.
After Khushdil Shah cleaned up Sikandar Raza with a ball, Qalandars seemed to be struggling. That is till the Qalandars skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi stepped out on the field.
The skipper took the attack to Sultans bowlers with some sensational shot-making. He remained unbeaten on 44 runs in 15 balls, which included two fours and five maximums.