Lahore Qalandars secured a spot in the final of HBL PSL 8 thanks to an impressive 54 runs from Mirza Tahir Baig, which helped them successfully chase a target for the first time in this edition. The team overhauled the target of 172 set by Peshawar Zalmi in Eliminator 2 at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday night, winning the match with four wickets and seven balls to spare. They will now face Multan Sultans in the final of the tournament on Saturday.
Despite losing their experienced player Fakhar Zaman early in the innings, Tahir’s composed batting ensured that Lahore Qalandars never felt the pressure. He formed crucial partnerships, including a 50-run stand with Sam Billings, who contributed 28 runs off 21 balls, and a steady 28-run partnership with Sikandar Raza (23 off 14). Tahir’s maiden HBL PSL half-century was instrumental in their victory, with him hitting seven fours and two sixes.
Mohammad Haris showcased an exceptional display of strokeplay in the first half of the match, scoring a breathtaking 85 runs off 54 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes. His partnership of 89 runs with captain Babar Azam set a strong foundation for Peshawar Zalmi, but Rashid Khan’s double strikes in the 12th over, dismissing Babar and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, slowed down the scoring rate. Peshawar Zalmi’s batting could not recover as they would have hoped, and they ended their innings at 171/7.
In the final, Lahore Qalandars will face Multan Sultans for the fourth time in this edition. Lahore Qalandars have emerged victorious twice in the previous encounters, while Multan Sultans defeated them in the most recent match, the Qualifier